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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26668426">let's stick together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vtforpedro/pseuds/vtforpedro'>vtforpedro</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Credence Barebone Heals, Credence Barebone Needs a Hug, Feel-good, Fluff and Humor, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Magical Bond, Magically Bound Together, Original Percival Graves is a Softie, POV Credence Barebone, True Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:28:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>46,121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26668426</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vtforpedro/pseuds/vtforpedro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Credence tries to find peace on his birthday and finds only strange things happening in New York, from escaped magical creatures to witches and wizards, one of whom he finds himself quite literally bound to by a rare magic.</p>
<p>Or: Credence and Percy and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Credence Barebone/Original Percival Graves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>84</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Credence has lived in Manhattan for twenty-seven years and though it is the busiest, most populated city in the country, not much happens anymore these days to surprise him.<br/><br/>There’s bizarreness all around and he’s seen it his entire life and he thinks that most people visiting must be shocked by some things but it’s always just another day in New York City for him. If he told someone that nothing exciting happens in New York, they might laugh at him, but it’s true.<br/><br/>He thinks of this as he walks the city streets, heading toward Central Park, his hands stuffed in his pockets to try and warm them a little on this cold November day.<br/><br/>It’s November 26th, his birthday, and being able to walk to Central Park is a kindness not given to him any other time of the year. It’s too far away, especially in the winter, when he is supposed to be home before the moon rises. But Ma always tells him to leave on his birthday and not come back until after dark and Credence knows it’s because she thinks it’s a punishment.<br/><br/>That she is abandoning him on his birthday, that she will not feed him anything special or give him a present or any other privileges. She has yet to figure out that this is the greatest gift he could ever ask for and he hopes she doesn’t realize that someday.<br/><br/>He’d like to leave the church altogether but he knows she’s right when she tells him he has no skills and is only a burden to everyone around him. He can’t make it on his own and they both know it, and although he gets this freedom on his birthday, each year is worse. His peers are married with children or leading successful careers and Credence can hardly read. He’s nearing thirty years old and it’s a shame that is constantly boiling in his gut, worse every year, and he doesn’t know how to escape it.<br/><br/>But today Credence will visit Central Park and try to enjoy it, to make the best of his day, even in the city where nothing exciting happens anymore and his nights are often filled with terror.<br/><br/>Credence thinks he has bad luck and every time he thinks he may enjoy himself, he may just be getting lucky, the world has a way of turning that upside down and making him realize all over again that he is the unluckiest person in it.<br/><br/>He thinks this as he turns a street corner and sees what must be the ugliest animal he’s ever seen in his life digging through an overturned trash can in front of a small deli.<br/><br/>It’s naked like a mole rat but much, much larger, with an odd growth on it’s head and back that reminds Credence of a sea anemone that he’d seen in a book once. It backs out of the trash can and looks up at Credence and squeals in such a terrifying way, its teeth long like a rat’s as well, that Credence staggers backwards.<br/><br/>Two men hurry by, from around the corner behind him, one of them running into him and shouting an apology.<br/><br/>Credence stares as a tall man with red-brown hair and oddly matched clothing, carrying a suitcase, pulls out a stick and flicks it at the animal. It freezes and falls over and Credence thinks it must be dead and that’s probably a good thing, except that the man has just used a wand and what must have been magic.<br/><br/>“Got you, you little troublemaker,” the man says as he grabs the creature, opens his suitcase and stuffs it inside.<br/><br/>The other man, much shorter and portly, looks at Credence and grins. “Hell of a thing,” he says, but the other man grabs his sleeve and they both begin to run down the sidewalk.<br/><br/>Credence stares after them, frozen to the spot, blinking slowly. He turns and walks across the street, only a block from Central Park now, and tries to pretend none of that just happened.<br/><br/>His heart is racing and he’s broken out into a cold sweat, his hands shaking wildly in his pockets, and he might laugh, somewhat hysterically, before biting down on his cheek.<br/><br/>It wasn’t magic.<br/><br/>No matter what Ma says, no matter how hard she pushes her idea of witches and their evildoing, their plans to take over the world, Credence knows magic does not truly exist.<br/><br/>He’s believed that for years now, knows his mother is not right about any of it, because if there were witches in the world, they would know it. They would have already taken over and there is no magic. There are no wands and even if there were, Credence thinks that they wouldn’t be used for evil.<br/><br/>But there <em> aren’t </em> any wands. There are not any witches and Credence doesn’t know what he saw, can’t explain it, but it’s his birthday and when he walks into Central Park and smells fresh air, he decides to try and think of only that.<br/><br/>Of freedom, his small taste of it, where Ma will not find him and punish him for daring to enjoy himself.<br/><br/>If Credence keeps looking over his shoulder or jumping any time a pigeon flutters onto the path in front of him, well, no one is around to see it. It’s not busy because it’s the middle of a workday and it’s cold anyway, most people chasing warmth inside, if they can.<br/><br/>His threadbare coat doesn’t do much for him and he’s shivering, but he thinks that might be because of something else.<br/><br/>That he definitely didn’t see happen.<br/><br/>After walking for a long while, Credence sits down on a bench and stares ahead, at the yellowing grass beneath trees, at the path below his shoes, at the trees that are mostly bare above him. He rubs his hands over his face and tries to focus on what he sees in front of him, on the air moving in and out of his lungs, but he hears a shuffling to his left and glances over.<br/><br/>He expects to see another visitor to the park, but it’s not.<br/><br/>It’s a monkey.<br/><br/>Or, at least, Credence thinks so. It’s got long, white hair and feet and hands that look very monkey-like, let alone the way it walks across the ground. But it’s face is rather startling because it’s not quite as monkey-ish as he would expect. There’s something about it that makes Credence think of an old man and a monkey both, and he simply stares at it and wonders if he’s finally lost his mind.<br/><br/>It picks up a quarter on the ground that Credence hadn’t seen and examines it for a while before it looks at Credence, blinking its very large eyes slowly. It shuffles toward him, its movements graceful and not aggressive, and Credence has the thought to get up and run anyway, but it hops onto the bench next to him and hands him the quarter.<br/><br/>Credence looks at it, then the monkey’s face, gazing at him with an intelligence he knows they possess, and yet he knows this is truly no monkey, like the other creature was truly no mole rat.<br/><br/>He tentatively reaches out and takes the quarter from it. It sits more comfortably next to him as he puts the quarter in his pocket and Credence stares at it for a while.<br/><br/>“What are you?” he asks weakly.<br/><br/>The creature looks at him and his eyes flash an eerie sort of blue and he seems to be looking beyond Credence. He blinks then and hops off the bench and begins to run away, turning entirely invisible as he does.<br/><br/>Credence stares after him and feels ill and he hadn’t wanted to cry on his birthday, but he thinks he might just burst into tears.<br/><br/>When he hears voices he manages to hold it in and glances down the path. Thankfully they are only people, a group of them, but they are walking with a purpose most people don’t in Central Park. A man dressed in a long black coat points in a few different directions and the others with him walk briskly off.<br/><br/>Credence looks down at his knees when the man walks his way, his stride confident, and hopes he doesn’t stop to talk to Credence.<br/><br/>Of course he stops near Credence and says, “Sir?”<br/><br/>“Yes?” Credence croaks, because he thinks this has something to do with the creatures and he’s terrified while also thinking that this is simply his punishment.<br/><br/>His constant punishment, for whatever wickedness and sin that lies inside his heart, the way Ma always tells him so.<br/><br/>“My name is Detective Graves,” the man says. “Might I have a few moments of your time?”<br/><br/>Credence looks up at him with a frown. He is dressed so finely, his three-piece suit and coat and scarf nothing at all like any detective Credence has ever seen working for the NYPD. And he’s seen quite a few, the amount of crime that occurs in Lower Manhattan.<br/><br/>He has the thought that this man is a witch before he firmly reminds himself there are no witches. He must simply be in a higher position than others.<br/><br/>Detective Graves is a handsome man with dark hair and dark eyes, cleanly shaven, and he’s peering at Credence closely, like he expects he might leap up and run away.<br/><br/>Credence won’t, though he wants to.<br/><br/>“Yes, sir,” he says.<br/><br/>Detective Graves nods shortly. “Thank you,” he says. “We’ve been getting strange reports about odd sights in the park and outside of it. Forgive me for saying so, but you look like you’ve recently seen an odd sight.”<br/><br/>Credence grimaces and knows that’s probably true. He probably looks awful, but he’s not about to tell Detective Graves what he saw, not unless he wants a visit to the hospital, which he very much doesn’t.<br/><br/>“What sort of odd sights?” he asks instead.<br/><br/>Detective Graves shrugs. “Strangely dressed people and strange animals,” he says and smiles. “I wouldn’t usually believe it but I’ve gotten seven reported sightings in the last hour, so I might as well do my due diligence. Have you seen any strange animals in the park today?”<br/><br/>“No,” Credence says slowly. Detective Graves’ expression doesn’t change, but Credence can see in his eyes that he knows Credence is lying. He bites his lip and shifts uncomfortably, sticking his hands in his pockets. He feels the quarter brush against his fingers and his heart races. “What… what sort of animals are they saying they’ve seen?”<br/><br/>“A rhinoceros that must be two sizes too big,” Detective Graves says with some dryness. “That’s what the man said about it anyway. A monkey that’s not quite a monkey. I’m inclined to think these are pranks and yet I look at you and see someone who is rather shaken up by something.”<br/><br/>Credence blushes and purses his lips. He looks up and down the path, then at Detective Graves. He’s inclined to think this is some elaborate joke himself and if he said that he did indeed see this monkey that’s not quite a monkey, Detective Graves might declare him as insane as he expected and send him off to jail or the hospital.<br/><br/>“If you did see something strange,” Detective Graves says more gently, “it would hardly be your fault.”<br/><br/>“I didn’t,” Credence says hastily, his first instinct always to lie whenever something is abnormal. Detective Graves only raises his eyebrows and Credence grimaces. “I don’t know what I saw.”<br/><br/>Detective Graves sighs and he gestures at the bench until Credence nods. He sits next to him and Credence glances down at his pristinely shined shoes, the fancy cufflinks on his shirt just visible under the long sleeves of a tailored coat. Credence might not be telling the truth but he thinks Detective Graves isn’t either.<br/><br/>“From what I’ve been told,” Detective Graves says, “one of these creatures can turn invisible. I don’t put much stock into that but I can imagine it would be a frightening thing to see.”<br/><br/>Credence bites his lip as he looks down the path and considers running away again. He thinks that Detective Graves just might be Witch Graves and that he had indeed seen a wand. Had indeed seen magic. Magical creatures, even, and because he’s never heard of this happening before, he thinks these magical creatures must not live in the wild.<br/><br/>The man he had seen with the wand had seemed to be collecting an escaped animal.<br/><br/>“And if I did see something strange?” Credence asks.<br/><br/>“I’d ask you to describe it to me and tell me which direction it went in.”<br/><br/>“How can you catch an invisible creature?”<br/><br/>“That’s the question of my day, apparently.”<br/><br/>Detective Graves says it with such wryness that it manages to ease Credence’s terror that he might be planning to harm Credence in some way. Detective Graves sounds annoyed and when Credence glances at him, he looks it too, like he can’t quite believe the turn his day has taken either.<br/><br/>Credence looks down the path where the monkey ran off. “I saw it,” he manages to mumble. “The monkey. It gave me a quarter.”<br/><br/>There’s silence for a moment before Detective Graves sighs. “It gave you a quarter?”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Credence says and pulls the quarter out of his pocket. His hand is shaking but he ignores that. “It picked it up off the ground and handed it to me.”<br/><br/>He looks at Detective Graves, who is looking back at him, something strange in his eyes. But he sighs again and gently takes the quarter from Credence, looking it over with a frown.<br/><br/>“Are you a witch?” Credence asks, rather loudly, because he thinks he must ask this question, must ask if the animal was magical, before he starts to feel anymore crazy.<br/><br/>Detective Graves’ eyebrows shoot up and he looks at Credence. “A witch?” he repeats. “What gives you the impression that I am?”<br/><br/>“Because you don’t look like a detective,” Credence says. “And I saw a witch with a wand capture another creature a block away from here.”<br/><br/>“Ah,” Director Graves says and his lips thin in annoyance, but Credence thinks it’s not with himself. “Tall, skinny, reddish hair?”<br/><br/>“Yes.”<br/><br/>Detective Graves nods and sighs. “I am going to arrest that man the second I catch up to him,” he says. “For his various escaped creatures. What’s your name?”<br/><br/>“Credence,” Credence says and doesn’t want to give his last name. Detective Graves smiles sharply but he doesn’t say anything. “So he was a witch and you are too? And the… the strange creatures are magic?”<br/><br/>“You’ve had an exciting morning, Credence.”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Credence agrees. “It’s my birthday after all.”<br/><br/>And Credence doesn’t know why, but saying the words aloud, to know this has been his birthday, even worse than usual, makes tears well up in his eyes and he’s deeply embarrassed, but he can’t help them and starts to weep.<br/><br/>“Alright,” Detective Graves sighs. “It’s alright, Credence. Very strange, I know, and I’m sorry you had to be frightened by it. Not a good way to spend a birthday. Tell me which way you saw that man go and which way you saw the Demiguise go and I’ll be out of your hair.”<br/><br/>Credence sniffs as he cries and quickly wipes his cheeks off, but the tears don’t seem to want to stop. He reaches down and grips the bench tightly, biting his lip hard, trying to focus on the pain rather than his tears, because that usually helps.<br/><br/>He points down the path. “That way,” he whispers. “And the men went west on 57th.”<br/><br/>“Men? More than one?”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Credence says and cries a little more. “I don’t think the other man was a witch. He said it was a <em> hell of a thing </em> after the other man caught a creature and put it in his suitcase.”<br/><br/>“Oh, good, he caught one. That damn suitcase,” Detective Graves sighs and moves his hands up to rub his temples, like he’s trying to stave off a headache. “What did the other man look like?”<br/><br/>“He was shorter. Rounder,” Credence says and sniffles. “Dark hair and mustache.”<br/><br/>“It’s alright, Credence,” Detective Graves says. “My job is to stop these sorts of things from happening or put a stop to them if they do. I’m sorry you had to get involved. You’ve helped immensely.”<br/><br/>It’s a little awkward, Credence knows, him crying and Detective Graves avoiding his eye, but he pats Credence’s hand on the bench.<br/><br/>And, because Credence is the unluckiest person in the world, something very strange happens.<br/><br/>They both look down at their hands and Credence gapes. Wrapped around his wrist looks like a pearly and transparent… bracelet and attached to it looks like a cord of the same sort of material, leading to Detective Graves’ wrist, where another bracelet is wrapped around it.<br/><br/>They look at each other and Detective Graves stands so suddenly that Credence gasps and he finds a black stick being pointed at him and realizes abruptly that it’s another wand.<br/><br/>Credence thinks his life is about to end and what a fitting end it would be, in tears and trying to come to terms with the fact that everything his mother fears is true, not yet even processing the fact before he’s murdered by a witch.<br/><br/>“What did you do?” Detective Graves asks and though he looks angry, his voice is very calm.<br/><br/>“Me?” Credence asks, high-pitched. “I’m not a witch! You did this!”<br/><br/>“I can assure you I did not,” Detective Graves says as he glances down at his wrist, then Credence’s. He frowns powerfully and looks at Credence. “You’re a no-maj.”<br/><br/>“A what? No, I’m not!” Credence says. “I don’t know what you’re saying. Please stop this, Detective Graves.”<br/><br/>“I am not <em> doing </em> it,” Detective Graves says and he sounds angry now. He turns his wand to his wrist and flicks it.<br/><br/>Nothing happens.<br/><br/>Detective Graves gives an experimental tug and Credence finds his arm is jerked not so gently, like they’re attached by handcuffs, though he only feels a strange warmth on his wrist, rather than any metal. Detective Graves touches the magic on his own wrist with his wand and his frown deepens.<br/><br/>He flicks and waves his wand in a few different ways before he scowls.<br/><br/>“What the fuck,” he mutters and looks at Credence. “What’s your surname?”<br/><br/>“Why?” Credence croaks.<br/><br/>“Your surname,” Detective Graves says sternly.<br/><br/>“Barebone,” Credence says and if he yanks a little so his hand isn’t hanging loosely in the air and yanks Detective Graves’ arm too, well, he thinks he deserves it.<br/><br/>Detective Graves narrows his eyes and they glare at each other for a while. He finally huffs and tries flicking his wand at the cord between their wrists, but it doesn’t move.<br/><br/>“It’s not working.”<br/><br/>“I can fucking see that,” Detective Graves says irritably. “I’ve never seen this before. And I do <em> not </em> have the fucking time for it.”<br/><br/>Credence thinks he’s very foul-mouthed and maybe not as kind as he seemed originally. Of course Credence isn’t feeling very kind right now either, because this is not his fault and Detective Graves keeps shooting him suspicious glances, as if he thinks it is. It’s his birthday and it’s the worst one yet and normally it would make Credence only feel more hollow but right now he’s angry.<br/><br/>“This is a hell of a day. It’s not even noon,” Detective Graves says. He turns away a little and thrusts his wand and a silver mist begins to glow out of it before an entire silver lioness leaps from the end of his wand. Credence yelps but Detective Graves waves dismissively. “She’s safe. Tell Barrows I need to go back to the office. The wizard with the suitcase was last seen going west on 57th with a no-maj of short and round stature accompanying him. The Demiguise was in Central Park, southside, we do not have eyes on it.”<br/><br/>The lioness gazes at Detective Graves as he speaks before she turns away, charging down the path before disappearing in a trail of fine silver-white light.<br/><br/>Credence stares after her, thinking she was possibly the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, but he’s distracted when Detective Graves jostles his arm again.<br/><br/>“Stop doing that,” Credence says. “Please.”<br/><br/>“Sorry,” Detective Graves says, still irritated, but he does sound genuinely contrite. “I’m afraid if I can’t figure this out on the way to the office, you’re going to have to accompany me.”<br/><br/>“To the office?” Credence asks weakly. “A witch's office?”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Detective Graves says. “I prefer to be called a wizard myself.”<br/><br/>Credence sniffs and looks up at Detective Graves, who is frowning so menacingly at the magic around his own wrist, like he thinks if he does it hard enough it’ll simply fall off.<br/><br/>“Are you going to kill me after?”<br/><br/><em> “Kill </em> you?” Detective Graves asks with some incredulity. He looks at Credence for a while and his frown isn’t so menacing anymore. If anything, he looks concerned and that might be worse. “We’re not murderers. I’m an Auror, for Merlin’s sake,” he mutters as he looks at his wrist. “My job is to arrest criminals in the wizarding world and protect no-majs - non-magical people like yourself - from them. My department’s entire job is to keep wizardkind and no-majs alike safe. I’m not going to murder you, Mister Barebone.”<br/><br/>Credence’s cheeks feel hot. “Alright,” he says quietly. “It’s just that my mother believes you’re planning an uprising to take over the world.”<br/><br/>Detective Graves stares at Credence before he shakes his head. “Barebone,” he says. “That no-maj church woman that gives sermons on the street about that very thing.”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Credence says.<br/><br/>“Better and better,” Detective Graves says. “No wonder you’re so terrified.”<br/><br/>“Well, wouldn’t you be? A monkey gave me a quarter and turned invisible and you’re a witch and this—” he vigorously shakes his wrist “—is something even you don’t know about so— so if I’m a little terrified, I think I have a right to be!”<br/><br/>Detective Graves peers at Credence for a while before he huffs a small laugh and his face is softer now, less annoyed. “I do see where you’re coming from, Mister Barebone,” he says. “But I’m not going to harm you, no one is. I am having as bad of a day as you are. Well, maybe not,” he amends, “but I have magical animals on the loose in Manhattan and don’t know why it’s happening yet. An accident or not. I’ve got more and more no-majs seeing strange things, including you, which means a lot of Obliviations are in store for my team.”<br/><br/>Credence frowns and he supposes he can see why Detective Graves is as stressed as he is. Though his entire world hasn’t been turned upside down, Credence thinks with some bitterness.<br/><br/>“What are Obliviations?”<br/><br/>“Nothing to worry about,” Detective Graves says. “Alright, come on. We need to get to the office.” He frowns in distaste. “We’re going to have to take a taxi.”<br/><br/>Credence doesn’t know why that would bother Detective Graves, but maybe witches have a different way to travel. He’s only glad he hadn’t suggested they go by his method and nods, standing from the bench.<br/><br/>Detective Graves turns and briskly walks off and Credence hurries to keep up with his pace so his arm isn’t stretched between them. The cord is only about two feet long but it could be much shorter, Credence thinks, and he’s glad for some separation.<br/><br/>They walk silently through Central Park and get to an exit. Detective Graves stops then and peers down at the cord. He moves his hand closer to Credence’s and the cord gets shorter, making Credence’s heart leap with despair to think it’ll get stuck that way, before Detective Graves pulls his hand back and it gets longer. It stops in the same place and Detective Graves looks even more annoyed by it.<br/><br/>“Keep your hand close to mine. Don’t need any no-majs to see this on top of everything else,” Director Graves says. “Hold onto my sleeve, if you have to.”<br/><br/>Credence blushes and thinks that’ll make it look strange to everyone else either way. Like he’s holding Detective Graves’ hand, even, so openly, and Credence is used to being stared at, but he doesn’t want to get those types of stares.<br/><br/>But he does grip his sleeve simply because it’s easier than trying to keep his hand close to Detective Graves’ and they step out onto the sidewalk. Detective Graves hails a taxi and when it pulls up next to them, they slide in and Credence realizes that if this is not fixed by eight or so tonight, he will be in for a world of hurt.<br/><br/>It scares him, makes him break out into a cold sweat again, to think that he might be late home and he could never explain why.<br/><br/>“Woolworth,” Detective Graves says to the driver.<br/><br/>Credence frowns a little. The Woolworth Building hardly seems like it would be a witch’s office, but he supposes witches walk among everyone else, probably far more than he knows.<br/><br/>“Detective Graves,” he says quietly and looks at him, “I have to be home before eight.”<br/><br/>“If this isn’t done by eight, I’ll be surprised,” Detective Graves says. “I need to take a look at some books. If I can’t find the answer there are people I work with that will know it. You’ll be home before dark.”<br/><br/>Credence nods, though he’s not sure he believes him. He seems to be an important wizard and if he doesn’t know what this is, how would others know? But Credence doesn’t understand anything about anything in his everyday life, let alone the lives that <em> wizardkind </em> lives.<br/><br/>He stares out of the window as they are driven to the Woolworth Building. When the driver stops in front of it, Detective Graves opens the door and begins to get out, but Credence keeps a tight hold of his sleeve until he looks back at him in irritation. Credence looks at the driver, then at Detective Graves.<br/><br/>“Oh,” he says and sighs. “Right.”<br/><br/>He pulls out the quarter from his pocket and rubs his thumb over it and Credence stares, dumbfounded, as it multiplies in his hand to a few dollars worth of quarters. Detective Graves easily picks out the first one and pays the taxi driver, who thanks him for his generosity.<br/><br/>They get out of the taxi then and Credence looks up at the Woolworth Building with a frown. But Detective Graves is a man of business, as he strides off and Credence hastens to keep up with him. They don’t enter the revolving doors but the single door next to them, where a doorman greets Detective Graves as <em> Director Graves. </em><br/><br/>Credence follows him inside and the Woolworth Building melts away into something far grander, far different, and full of magic.<br/><br/>He gapes as he stares around it, stumbling behind Director Graves, who is not giving him much of a choice, and tries to take in the various incredible sights. There are busy people, clearly at work, but Credence knows they’re witches and wizards. They dress a little differently, but not much, and there’s magic in almost every corner he looks. And none of it looks evil, none of it looks designed to kill or to take over the world.<br/><br/>It looks like a government building with busy government employees and Credence thinks that’s exactly what it is.<br/><br/>He keeps a hold of Director Graves’ coat as they walk up a staircase and he sees a few people eyeballing him in particular and thinks with some despair they must know he’s not one of them.<br/><br/>They take a lift with a creature operating it that Director Graves greets as Red and who has a Brooklyn accent, so Credence assumes that he is a wizard, but not a human one. He merely tries not to stare and follows Director Graves out of the lift and down a quieter hallway.<br/><br/>But when Director Graves pushes open a door, there’s quite a lot of chatter, and Credence gapes at a large office, filled with desks and busy people. There are boards and maps along the way and a very, very strange dark one that shows the United States and occasionally a tiny spot of gold lights up on it that Credence thinks is done by magic.<br/><br/>Some of the witches and wizards stop what they’re doing to stare at them but Director Graves keeps a firm eye forward and waves his hand at a door they’re approaching. It sounds like it unlocks and they walk inside. It slams shut behind them and locks again, but they’re already halfway across the room.<br/><br/>“Is this your office?” Credence asks as he looks around. It’s got dark floors like the rest of the building and dark walls too, with a handsome desk and a large fireplace nearby, armchairs in front of it.<br/><br/>“Yes,” Director Graves says and leads Credence to the opposite corner of the room. He opens a door and Credence thought that the dark glass walls were merely finally detailed architecture, but he thinks they must all really be cabinets.<br/><br/>This one contains a multitude of books and Director Graves scans them for a while as Credence gazes around. It’s not like any office he’s ever seen and he supposes magic would allow wizardkind to make nicer things than maybe non-magical people can have.<br/><br/>He looks at the books and sees odd titles about various dark arts, which doesn’t sound good, but also hexes and jinxes and curses, which doesn’t sound good either, but Director Graves reaches out and grabs one of the books.<br/><br/>The title is long and Credence squints at it.<br/><br/><em> Unintentional, Accidental and Unusually Cast Spells for the Concerned Witch or Wizard, </em> which seems very specific, and Credence frowns when Director Graves flips it open.<br/><br/>He peruses the table of contents for a while, which Credence can’t read half of, and doesn’t seem to find what he’s looking for. He puts the book away and looks through more in the cabinet.<br/><br/>“What’s… what’s Beedle Bard?” Credence asks as he looks at them as well.<br/><br/>“Hmm? Ah, <em> The Tales of Beedle the Bard,” </em> Director Graves says distractedly. “Children’s fairy tales.”<br/><br/>Credence frowns for a while. “Why do you have children’s fairy tales with books about curses and… and Dark Arts?”<br/><br/>Director Graves chuckles. “Because there is a particular tale in that book that inspires crime and it’s always good to own the books that do,” he says. “Even if it’s just a fairy tale.”<br/><br/>“Then why does it inspire crime?” Credence asks and he’s unsure how much he can actually ask. He’s unsure if it’ll anger Director Graves or not, but he only shrugs.<br/><br/>“Because the tale describes three powerful magical objects and people still try to find them to this day. Like the lost island of Atlantis. If they hear rumors of where one might be, sometimes violence follows, which my department has to follow up on.”<br/><br/>“Oh,” Credence says, because he has heard of Atlantis and knows it to only be a story. “What about that one?” He points at a book title that is half faded but says <em> Creatures. </em><br/><br/>“None of the creatures let loose today are in there,” Director Graves says absentmindedly and closes the cabinet. “And I don’t believe the two you saw are capable of casting whatever magic this is.”<br/><br/>They move through two more cabinets and Director Graves seems to be a little frustrated when he closes the third one, frowning, his eyebrows drawn together.<br/><br/>“There shouldn’t be anything in the library I don’t have in here,” he mutters. “But I suppose it’s possible. Could take ages.” He seems to be talking to himself and shakes his head eventually. “Going to have to visit the third floor.”<br/><br/>Credence feels nervous and doesn’t know why. “What’s on the third floor?”<br/><br/>Director Graves looks at Credence, like he’s only just remembering he’s there. “Curse Breakers department,” he says. “They should have some ideas.”<br/><br/>Curse Breakers sounds terrifying but he supposes if this is a curse and they can break it, he might be able to go home and forget any of this ever happened. He swallows and nods and Director Graves smiles faintly.<br/><br/>“We’ll get you home before eight,” he says and gestures. “Come on. If they break this for us, we’ll get some lunch after.”<br/><br/>Credence thinks he might not be able to eat for a week but then his stomach does feel very empty and the idea of food sounds good. He nods and follows Director Graves out of his office, but not out of the department. He stops to talk to a man a good half a head taller than Credence, who is heavily muscled and frankly terrifying.<br/><br/>“Erumpent is who fucking knows where,” the man says. “Demiguise is still MIA. We’ve got a Billywig though.”<br/><br/>“How lucky for us all,” Director Graves says dryly. “A fucking Billywig but not an Erumpent.”<br/><br/>The man nods and looks as annoyed as Director Graves about the escaped creatures’ situation. He looks at Credence curiously but Director Graves shakes his head.<br/><br/>“Credence, this is Captain Fontaine,” he says. “Ask me later how my day is going beyond the creatures,” he adds to Captain Fontaine. “Let’s go, Credence.”<br/><br/>“Nice to meet you, sir,” Credence says, not knowing what else to say, and Captain Fontaine quirks an eyebrow but nods. He hurries along at Director Graves’ side so no one might see the bond that ties them together. “What’s a Billywig?”<br/><br/>“A magical insect,” Director Graves says. “I don’t know how we even caught it, but let’s hope there aren’t more of them. The Erumpent is what the no-maj referred to as a rhinoceros. Much larger, much more dangerous and my main concern considering it’s broad daylight. This man came in the docks today, by the way. From England.”<br/><br/>“He came from England and released a bunch of magical creatures?” Credence asks in disbelief as they walk down the hall. “Why?”<br/><br/>“I don’t know if it was intentional or not but from what you told me, I think not. Depending on how capturing the rest of these creatures goes, he’s either spending the next few years in prison or is on the first boat back to England.”<br/><br/>Credence grimaces. He doesn’t know if their laws are different - they must be, to include crimes to do with magic - but he thinks he agrees that this man, even if it was accidentally done, probably should be punished. Especially if someone gets hurt.<br/><br/>Or maybe Credence isn’t feeling particularly kind about it because it has ruined his day and now he is attached, quite literally, to a wizard, who his mother has told him to fear all his life.<br/><br/>Director Graves is a stern person, he thinks, but he’s also smiled and laughed and he’s not been cruel, even when he thought Credence had done this. The fact that he’s as good looking as he is makes it even worse, the wickedness in Credence always rearing its ugly head at the worst possible moment.<br/><br/>They take the lift to the third floor and Credence gazes around as they walk down a large, curving hallway. He sees a few other departments but Director Graves leads him to the end of the hallway and through an unmarked door. The room is large beyond a receptionist’s desk, multiple closed offices and a few open spaces with desks and long tables not unlike the department Director Graves runs.<br/><br/>“Director Graves,” the witch behind the desk says with a brisk nod.<br/><br/>He nods back but he’s already striding past the desk and Credence wishes he would slow down a little, because it’s very irritating having to keep a tight grasp of his coat simply so he’s not left behind.<br/><br/>“Johansson,” Director Graves says as he moves to an office, leaning in the open doorway.<br/><br/>Johansson is a blond man, skinny, with bright blue eyes and thick glasses. He looks up and blinks at Director Graves, leaning back in his chair. He can’t be much older than Credence and he frowns as he looks between them.<br/><br/>“What have you got for me today, Director?” he asks.<br/><br/>Director Graves gestures for Credence to move into the office and closes the door behind himself. With a wave of his hand, the blinds close, and Johansson’s eyebrows raise and he doesn’t look frightened, like Credence is, but like his interest has been piqued.<br/><br/>“I’m sure you know the headache I’m already dealing with today,” Director Graves says and smiles shortly when Johansson grimaces in sympathy. “I’ve got another one on my hands.” He gestures for Credence to put his hand on the desk.<br/><br/>Credence does so, the magic visible on his wrist, and Director Graves holds up his own arm a little higher, so the cord hangs between them. Johansson’s eyebrows raise even further and he leans in as he looks at the magical bonds.<br/><br/>“Now that,” he says, “is certainly interesting.”<br/><br/>“What is it?” Director Graves asks expectantly.<br/><br/>“Merlin, I don’t know,” Johansson says and shrugs when Director Graves scowls. “I don’t, Percy. I’ve never seen it before. How did it happen?”<br/><br/>Director Graves sighs. “Credence here is a no-maj,” he says. “I was interviewing him because he’d seen two of the escaped creatures. I was preparing to finish the interview and touched his hand. These appeared. It’s not my magic.”<br/><br/>“Hmm,” Johansson hums and rests his chin in his hand, looking rather fascinated. “No, maybe not. But it’s not a curse all the same. Oh, maybe to you it is,” he adds with an amused smile when Director Graves’ eyebrows raise, “but it’s not curse magic. It seems rather benevolent. Nothing worked to get it off?”<br/><br/>“Not any spell I could think of. And none of the books in my office can explain it. I’ve never heard of this before or seen anything like it.”<br/><br/>“Yes, it’s very strange,” Johansson agrees. “Let’s see if I might be able to help you out of this pickle all the same.”<br/><br/>He pulls his wand out and gives it a slow wave over the cord, as if he’s examining it in a way Credence can’t see. He flicks his wand occasionally and when he tries to pick up the cord with his wand, it simply goes right through it and the cord doesn’t move. Johansson hums again, like it’s surprising, and holds up his finger.<br/><br/>Johansson digs around in his desk for a while. He pulls out objects that Credence has never seen in his life - and why would he have? - that are even more bizarre than anything else he’s seen so far. Something that looks merely like a glass disk goes through the cord as well and Johansson shakes his head. He sticks what looks like a blunt needle into it and nothing happens with it either.<br/><br/>After a few more strange objects, Johansson leans back in his chair with a frown. “This is interesting,” he says. “Benevolent and likely why it’s unresponsive to any of my methods.”<br/><br/>Director Graves sighs irritably. “Any ideas otherwise?”<br/><br/>“I’d check with the library, they know their books,” Johansson says as he looks between Director Graves and Credence with a faint smile. “Sorry, you two. What a pickle. But don’t worry, Credence, Percy is nothing if not stubborn in finding answers to mysteries.”<br/><br/>Credence blushes and doesn’t know why he does. “Oh,” he says. “Umm, thank you. It’s very… I didn’t… this has been a strange day.”<br/><br/>Johansson smiles. “I can only imagine,” he says. “You’re lucky, I’d say, that it was Director Graves you found yourself bound to.”<br/><br/>“Lucky my ass,” Director Graves says. “I don’t have time for this when I have a wizard with a suitcase of magical creatures on the loose.”<br/><br/>“I didn’t mean lucky for you,” Johansson says with amusement. “Imagine if he found himself attached to the wrong sort. Then again, it might not have happened for anyone but you two.”<br/><br/>Credence doesn’t quite know what to make of that and Director Graves doesn’t seem to either. He merely sighs and nods and rubs his temples, thankfully with only his left hand.<br/><br/>“Thanks for your time,” he says and opens the door.<br/><br/>“Sorry I couldn’t be of help,” Johansson says and smiles kindly at Credence before he follows Director Graves out of the office.<br/><br/>They walk out of the Curse Breaker office together and Credence feels a little lost, because he’d assumed that would work. But it’s not a curse, which he supposes is good, but it also means that they still don’t know what it is. Credence has a bad feeling they won’t find anything in the library either but he walks with Director Graves down the hall and glances furtively at him.<br/><br/>He’s frowning, clearly thinking about this as much as Credence is.<br/><br/>“What if, umm… Director Graves, what if it’s not fixed before eight?”<br/><br/>“Is there a reason you need to be home before eight?”<br/><br/>Credence looks away. “My mother doesn’t like me getting home any later than that.”<br/><br/>Director Graves is quiet for a while. “How old are you today?”<br/><br/>“Twenty-seven,” Credence mumbles and he knows why Director Graves is asking. It’s humiliating and he looks down at the floor as they walk, because he can’t explain it. Can’t tell anyone why he’s stuck, why he has a curfew like he does at his age, why he fears breaking it so much. “She worries,” he adds, even if it’s the farthest thing from the truth.<br/><br/>“I imagine,” Director Graves says. “We’ll figure this out, Credence, it’s not one yet. Plenty of time. And,” he adds, “even if we don’t, you’ll be alright. Sometimes we’re delayed getting home. It happens.”<br/><br/><em> Not for me, </em> Credence thinks with some despair, <em> never for me. </em><br/><br/>His back is already stinging and is sore from two nights ago and he knows the pain he would experience if he came home late tonight. Even on his birthday, no mercy ever shown, and his heart beats heavily, uncomfortably. He can’t tell Director Graves any of this and it’s the heaviest weight on his shoulders that will one day push him under and drown him.<br/><br/>He hopes that isn’t tonight or tomorrow.<br/><br/>Director Graves takes him to the library, which is absolutely massive, the shelves extending up toward the ceiling at an alarming height. He sees witches and wizards using their wands to retrieve books high up and is glad for it, because he couldn’t imagine using a ladder to get to the top.<br/><br/>He asks two librarians sitting at a wide desk about books on magical bonds. They write down a few suggestions and where to find them and Director Graves takes the papers with a mutter of gratitude.<br/><br/>Credence’s cheeks feel hot because he can see that they’re eyeing him and Director Graves with interest, but Director Graves is off on a mission again, and Credence hastens to be at his side.<br/><br/>He supposes he is probably trying to get back to work as quickly as possible, considering the sort of emergency situation he’s dealing with, but Credence would like it if he slowed down all the same.<br/><br/>Director Graves waves his hand occasionally as they walk through the shelves and books begin to follow them, bobbing through the air. Credence glances back at them occasionally and thinks that magic doesn’t seem evil but actually convenient.<br/><br/>Once Director Graves has collected the few handfuls of books, they find a table and sit at it. He pushes a stack of books to Credence.<br/><br/>“Look through those,” he says as he pulls his own stack closer. “Anything about magical bonds between two people. Most of these books have illustrations so if you recognize it, tell me.”<br/><br/>Credence nods and is glad they’re sitting closer together, because Director Graves speeds through the first book much faster than he likely will and it would jostle his arm if they weren’t. He opens the first book and gasps, quickly closing it.<br/><br/>“What?” Director Graves asks with a frown. “Did you find it?”<br/><br/>“No,” Credence croaks. “I didn’t… I didn’t know… the picture moved,” he finally manages to say breathlessly.<br/><br/>Director Graves raises his eyebrows before he smiles, in amusement, and Credence is immensely grateful, because he thought he might get angry. “Should’ve warned you, sorry,” he says and turns back to his book. “Almost all pictures and paintings in the wizarding world move.”<br/><br/>“Oh,” Credence sighs and tentatively opens the book. “That’s amazing.”<br/><br/>Director Graves hums, sounding amused still, but they get immersed in the books after that, steadily flipping through pages rather than relying only on the table of contents.<br/><br/>There’s incredibly strange magic mentioned and even the idea of some frighten Credence, but he tries to focus on only chapter titles and the illustrations, looking for anything that might be similar to what is wrapped around their wrists.<br/><br/>The piles of books get smaller as they go, until Director Graves has gone through his and watches Credence flip through the pages of the last two books he has. When he finds nothing, he leans back and looks at Director Graves.<br/><br/>“This is a nightmare,” Director Graves mutters. “My worst one, in fact. Coming across magic I’m unfamiliar with and don’t know how to tackle.”<br/><br/>“But this is harmless magic, isn’t it?” Credence asks with worry. “That’s what benevolent means, right?”<br/><br/>“Well, yes. That makes it worse,” Director Graves says sourly. “Because I can figure out curse magic on my own, for the most part, but with this I have no fucking clue where to begin with. We could go down to Magical Accidents but that’s… they don’t deal in this type of magic, usually, and I think it’d be a waste of time. I have very little time to spare today already.” He glares off at one of the bookshelves. “Department of Mysteries… possibly, but not likely.”<br/><br/>Credence hasn’t got much of a clue what he’s talking about. “What’s the Department of Mysteries? Isn’t this a mystery?”<br/><br/>Director Graves looks at him and chuckles. “This isn’t the type of mystery that’s usually found there,” he says. “But it’s not a bad idea to ask, I suppose, they might have studied it when becoming Unspeakables.”<br/><br/><em> “Unspeakables?” </em><br/><br/>“Department of Mysteries, Mister Barebone, and they are not allowed to speak of it.”<br/><br/>Credence shakes his head. “Witches are very literal in the way they name things,” he says and bites his lip when Director Graves laughs, like he agrees. “Am I allowed to be in that department?”<br/><br/>“No one is,” Director Graves says with amusement. “I’ll call up Twycross, she’s always a wealth of knowledge for just about anything. Let’s go back to my office.”<br/><br/>“Alright,” Credence sighs. “I hope she knows something.”<br/><br/>“You and I both,” Director Graves says. “Who knows what havoc is being wreaked outside at the moment.”<br/><br/>Credence smiles a little and stands. They both seem to forget they’re bound together and try to go in different directions, but the bond snaps tightly and Credence stumbles back. He groans and follows Director Graves instead, who grimaces apologetically at him.<br/><br/>Director Graves sends the books back to where they belong and they leave the library. The building truly is massive and Credence has already done a seven mile walk this morning. He’s used to walking a lot but he’s getting tired, his feet sore, and thinks it’s only made worse by his day so far.<br/><br/>When they finally get back to Director Graves’ office, he conjures an entire chair with his wand so Credence can sit next to him at his desk. He conjures a large glass too and fills it with water and when he slides it to Credence, he takes it gratefully and drinks.<br/><br/>Director Graves scrawls a quick note on a paper that, when he tells it <em> Twycross, Department of Mysteries, </em> it perks up into the shape of a rat and scurries off his desk, across the floor, and slips under the door.<br/><br/>Credence gapes after it for a while and when he looks at Director Graves, he’s looking at a piece of mail, but he’s smiling and Credence supposes it must be amusing for him to see his awe about any of this.<br/><br/>“Umm… Director Graves,” Credence says after a while, “what happens if Twycross doesn’t know either?”<br/><br/>“If that happens, I’m going to cut off my arm,” Director Graves mutters. “I will not cut off my arm, Credence,” he adds when he sees Credence’s gape of horror, looking like he’s trying not to laugh. “It just means we look somewhere else. She’ll have ideas if she doesn’t know exactly what it is. St Lyptus’ might have ideas too.”<br/><br/>“St… St Lyptus’?”<br/><br/>“Wizarding hospital.”<br/><br/>Credence grimaces and nods, picking up his water and taking a drink. “And what if none of them know how to fix it?”<br/><br/>“You are a very pessimistic person, aren’t you?” Director Graves asks. “Almost any magic can be solved.”<br/><br/><em> “Almost?” </em><br/><br/>Director Graves laughs. “Some magic can be permanent but I can assure you whatever this is is not permanent. That much I do know about it,” he says. “I just don’t know how to remove it.”<br/><br/>Credence frowns and looks at the magic around his wrist. “But what if—”<br/><br/>“No, no. One step at a time.”<br/><br/>Credence sighs and puts his elbow on the desk and his chin in his hand. “Alright,” he mutters. “My birthdays have never been good. I think this is the worst one.”<br/><br/>“It could be far worse,” Director Graves says absentmindedly as he browses through more mail from a pile on his desk. “How do your birthdays normally go?”<br/><br/>“I usually walk around Central Park all day and go home in the early evening,” he says. “It takes me two hours to walk there and back.”<br/><br/>“Two hours?” Director Graves asks and looks at Credence. “Ah, Pike Street. You live in the church?”<br/><br/>Credence nods. “Yes. I know it’s not very exciting, but I like walking through Central Park because I don’t get there very often.”<br/><br/>“No other family to spend your birthday with?”<br/><br/>“No,” Credence says quietly and bites his lip. “It’s just me and my mother.”<br/><br/>“How do you feel about us witches so far?”<br/><br/>Credence frowns at Director Graves but he supposes it’s a fair question, though Director Graves asks it with a little sarcasm. “Well,” he says, “my first experience with a witch was him asking me about a not-monkey and then getting attached to him by magic so mysterious no other witches even know about it. I’m not sure I feel so great about the… wizarding world.”<br/><br/>Director Graves smirks and shakes his head. “It’s normally far more gentle. Well, for everyday people, certainly not for me.”<br/><br/>“I’m sure,” Credence says, thinking of what being an Auror must be like. “How do you become a wizard?”<br/><br/>“It’s in our blood,” Director Graves says. “We’re born with our magic. Either to wizarding parents or to no-majs. If a witch or wizard is born to no-majs it means there was a witch or wizard up the family tree somewhere.”<br/><br/>“How do you know if you’re one if you’re born to no-majs?”<br/><br/>“Children typically start showing magic young, well before they can control it. We see it most often around six to eight years old, sometimes earlier, sometimes later. And when they reach their eleventh birthday, they receive a letter from whatever Witchcraft and Wizardry school is nearest to them so they can attend and start their magical education.”<br/><br/>“There’s an entire school for wizards?” Credence asks with some awe. “More than one?”<br/><br/>“Many, all over the world. There are far more of us than you might think,” Director Graves says with a smile, browsing through a letter. “Eleven year olds on the east coast go to Ilvermorny and receive their wands then.”<br/><br/>Credence shakes his head. “How does the school know to send them a letter? Because they showed magic when they were younger?”<br/><br/>“No, it’s very old magic the founders of each school laid down. Either in a book or a quill, which writes down the name of the newest witch or wizard born. When the new school year is starting, a professor at the school will look at the names and write letters.”<br/><br/>“That’s incredible,” Credence says and finds himself smiling. “I’m sure that would make a lot of children happy. Especially if they’re born to no-majs.”<br/><br/>He knows he would have been. Not that Ma wouldn’t have likely killed him immediately after, but at least he could have died with some joy.<br/><br/>“It does,” Director Graves says. “A lot of children who don’t realize they’re a witch or wizard often feel out of place until they get their letters. Some are frightened by the magic they’ve performed. It’s a relief to be told you belong somewhere for many of them.”<br/><br/>Credence smiles and looks down at his wrist and wishes, for the first time, that he might have been one of those children. That maybe Ma wouldn’t have killed him, but maybe that she would have handed him over to wizardkind to be rid of him.<br/><br/>But he’s never been special. He’s never fit in anywhere. Doesn’t belong, not in Manhattan, not in the church, not anywhere.<br/><br/>There’s a knock on the door and Credence’s thoughts are interrupted as he looks up. Director Graves waves his hand and the door unlocks and opens.<br/><br/>A woman steps inside, tall and slender, her black hair tied up in a tight bun and silver-framed glasses rest on her nose. She looks a little intimidating and also like someone who would know everything about anything, intelligent enough for Credence to already feel embarrassed in her presence.<br/><br/>She’s wearing a white coat, like a lab coat, Credence thinks, and strides across the room. She smiles then and it takes away some of her severity.<br/><br/>“Director Graves,” she says and looks at Credence.<br/><br/>“Credence Barebone,” Director Graves says. “This is Miss Twycross.”<br/><br/>“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” Credence says nervously.<br/><br/>“And you, Mister Barebone,” she says with a smile for him as well. She sits down in one of the chairs across from them. “So, Director Graves, what <em> unexplained magic </em> might I help with today?”<br/><br/>When Director Graves lifts his arm, Credence does too, so his arm isn’t jostled and because he’s rather desperately hoping she knows how to fix this.<br/><br/>“This,” Director Graves says, “appeared without any magic being cast or used. Mister Barebone is a no-maj I was interviewing about the situation outside. Our hands touched and this formed.”<br/><br/>Twycross raises her eyebrows as she looks at their wrists and the cord in between. She stares at it for a long moment before humming with interest and Credence thinks that’s a bad sign, because that’s what Johansson had done too.<br/><br/>“How very strange,” she says slowly and pushes her glasses further up her nose. “You’ve never come across each other before?”<br/><br/>“Not that I’m aware of,” Director Graves says and Credence shakes his head.<br/><br/>“We do study bonds, as you know,” Twycross says to Director Graves. “The way that hear—”<br/><br/>“Yes, I’m aware,” Director Graves says with some tightness Credence doesn’t understand. “I don’t see how that’s related.”<br/><br/>Twycross looks faintly amused. “And yet you work in your department and I work in mine.”<br/><br/>Director Graves looks mildly embarrassed and annoyed then and Credence thinks that Twycross is not much older than Director Graves, but she sounds motherly when she speaks and he thinks Director Graves might have just been reminded that he’s not nearly as smart as her.<br/><br/>“So you think it <em> is </em> related?” he asks.<br/><br/>“Possibly,” Twycross says with a wider smile. “Magic does so rarely appear in this way.”<br/><br/>“Related to what?” Credence asks feebly. “Is it bad?”<br/><br/>“Oh, terrible, Mister Barebone,” Twycross says. “For Director Graves, that is.”<br/><br/>“Yes, thank you,” Director Graves says with a glare. “That can’t possibly be what’s happening here.”<br/><br/>“Possibly not,” Twycross agrees. “I’ve never seen anything exactly like this but I have heard of similar situations. Some done with experimental magic and some done when two magics touch.”<br/><br/>Credence frowns. “So it can’t be that,” he says. “Since… since Director Graves didn’t do it and I don’t have magic.”<br/><br/>Twycross gazes at Credence, then at Director Graves, raising her eyebrows just slightly.<br/><br/>Director Graves stares at her for a while. “Fuck,” he finally says.<br/><br/>“Fuck indeed,” Twycross says with more amusement. “I assume you wish to break this bond then?”<br/><br/>Credence feels like he’s missing a very large piece of information and frowns irritably himself, because he is half involved in this and would rather not be left out.<br/><br/>“I have a fucking job to do and Mister Barebone has a curfew,” Director Graves says as irritably as Credence feels. “Yes, we wish to break it. How have similar bonds been broken?”<br/><br/>“It depends entirely on the two individuals involved,” Twycross says. “It’s a personal matter, after all. Experimental bonds are easiest to break, we’ve found, because intent to place them creates intent to remove them. It’s easy to do, in essence. Bonds created when two magics touch is not altogether understood but it does often have to do with matters of the heart.”<br/><br/>Credence doesn’t understand how that can help either of them, because he has no magic, but maybe she has an idea.<br/><br/>“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Director Graves says and Credence thinks he might have been wrong. “I don’t have time for this.”<br/><br/>“I’m afraid this magic cares nothing for mortal things such as busy careers,” Twycross says with a smile. “It’s not always matters of the heart in the way you think, Director Graves. Sometimes matters of the heart involve our families and our friends. There is love shared between all of us after all.”<br/><br/>Credence blinks at her, his heart racing, and looks down at the bond on his wrist. He looks back up at her and realizes that both she and Director Graves are leaning toward this being a <em> matter of the heart </em> sort of magical bond, but she’s said two magics touching and Credence simply isn’t a wizard.<br/><br/>“But how can that be possible if I’m not a wizard? If I don’t have magic?” he asks her in concern. “Does that mean it’ll be even harder to break it?”<br/><br/>Twycross gazes at Credence and when she smiles there’s something soft in it that he’d normally like but right now it puts him on edge. “I don’t have the exact answer for either of you,” she says. “This is merely what I know about magical bonds, as incredibly rare as they are.”<br/><br/>Director Graves is rubbing his temples again. “Do you have any examples of how it’s been broken before?” he asks tiredly.<br/><br/>“Truth. Acceptance. Support. Understanding,” Twycross says. “And these can mean anything between the two bonded.”<br/><br/>Credence has no idea what this means either and he thinks he has a headache coming on himself. He merely frowns, thinking this isn’t going well, but at least she has some sort of answer for what’s happening, even if she can’t tell them how to break it.<br/><br/>“Thank you, Miss Twycross,” Director Graves says. “Anything else you can enlighten us to?”<br/><br/>She smiles. “I’m afraid that’s all, Director,” she says and stands, nodding between them. “Good afternoon, Director. Mister Barebone.”<br/><br/>They watch her go and Credence gapes for a while before looking at Director Graves.<br/><br/>“Director Graves,” he says, “I didn’t… I don’t think that helped. Did it? Are there other people that will know more?”<br/><br/>“Percy,” Director Graves mutters. He looks at Credence and sighs when he sees him frowning. “Call me Percy.” He leans back in his chair and looks up at the ceiling for a while. “Matters of the heart,” he says quietly. “Well, if anything, Credence, I think this means you and I are destined to be friends.”<br/><br/>“But I…” Credence trails off and he wants to rip his hair out in frustration. “I don’t have magic! She said that’s when two magics touch.”<br/><br/>Percy looks at Credence and gazes at him. He looks tired and a little defeated, but there’s something else in his eyes too. Something like pity, Credence realizes, and he thinks he saw it on Twycross too. It makes him angry, as pity always does, and embarrassed.<br/><br/>“Credence,” Percy says quietly. “This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t have magic in your blood.”<br/><br/>Credence stares at Percy and blinks a few times before he looks at the magic around his wrist. He thinks he might have known but was desperately not letting that thought come. His heart feels heavy and he thinks of his mother, who would almost certainly kill him in God’s name, if she knew he had magical blood.<br/><br/>“But you said children show magic,” he whispers and there are tears in his eyes. “That they get letters from a wizarding school.”<br/><br/>“They do,” Percy sighs and moves his hand to Credence’s, gently covering it. “I think you were unfortunate enough to be born to a woman who made sure you didn’t perform magic and who ensured you didn’t receive your letter.”<br/><br/>Credence blinks once, twice, and feels tears on his cheeks. He wipes them away and looks at Percy’s hand over his, the magical bond pearlescent on his wrist.<br/><br/>He thinks Percy must be right. He doesn’t remember performing magic but Ma started using physical punishments when he was seven years old and they increased in severity every year. He thinks he might have been eleven when she whipped him for the first time but he’s not entirely sure. It’s been so many years of it.<br/><br/>So many years.<br/><br/>Credence is trembling and he bites his lip, trying to hold in more tears, but he can’t and soon he’s weeping, covering his face with the hand that’s not under Percy’s.<br/><br/>She’s taken so much from him and she took this too, a place where he might have actually belonged, and made him fear it instead for so long.<br/><br/>Percy takes his hand away but he turns Credence’s chair, on a swivel, until they’re facing each other and he moves the hand that’s not bound to Credence’s to his back. With some encouragement, because Credence is reluctant and feels like a burden, he slumps against Percy and rests his head on his shoulder and continues to cry.<br/><br/>“Shh, shh,” Percy whispers and his hand finds Credence’s again, holding it, since they cannot hug without some difficulties. “I’m sorry, Credence.”<br/><br/>When Percy’s hand strokes over Credence’s back, Credence forgets to hide the wince and jerks away from the touch when he feels a sharp sting. He stiffens and chokes a little on his cry and hopes Percy hadn’t noticed, but of course that’s a foolish thought, because Percy gently pulls away, until Credence is forced to look at him.<br/><br/>“Are you hurt?” Percy asks with a frown. “Were you injured today?”<br/><br/>Credence quickly shakes his head. “No,” he whispers and reaches up to wipe away his tears. “I’m fine. There’s… the kitchen in the church is small and I backed into the patry’s open door.”<br/><br/>It sounds like a pale lie when he says it and he looks down at their hands, still held together, and knows Percy doesn’t believe him. Percy is quiet for a while before he sighs and squeezes Credence’s hand.<br/><br/>“I told you that magic can be gentle,” he says. “I can heal you, if you’d like.”<br/><br/>“It’s fine,” Credence says. “Please don’t worry about me.”<br/><br/>“No, I think I will worry about you,” Percy says. “If you have a bruise or a cut, I can easily heal it for you, Credence. You don’t have to be in pain.”<br/><br/>Credence furrows his brow and he feels anger boiling in his gut. He blinks once and feels it vanish when a thought hits him. He looks up at Percy, who is peering at him with such genuine concern that it’s a bit shocking. No one has ever looked at him that way before.<br/><br/>If he has magic, if he is a wizard and they are connected because they’re meant to be friends, maybe he could let Percy see. See his deepest shame, the thing that frightens him most in the world beyond Ma, that someone should see what his back looks like and either pity him or add to the pain. Percy won’t do that, Credence knows.<br/><br/>Percy will heal his wounds but maybe he’ll do more than that. Maybe he’s Credence’s chance to escape, to help him find a place in the wizarding world, the wonderful place it seems when it’s a normal day. When magical bonds don’t happen and no creatures roam Manhattan’s streets.<br/><br/>It could be the best birthday present he’s ever received and Percy wouldn’t know it.<br/><br/>Credence feels vaguely guilty for the thought, it does feel manipulative, but he thinks that maybe… maybe he doesn’t deserve to go through it anymore. Even if Percy has to see, even if he has to put it in Percy’s mind, maybe it will save Credence from having to go through it again.<br/><br/>He swallows and nods. “It’s a cut that’s been healing for two days,” he says quietly. “Can magic heal something like that?”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Percy says and moves his hand to Credence’s cheek. He brushes away a fresh tear. “Come on, stand up and let me take a look. I’ve got potions and salves in here, if we need them.”<br/><br/>Credence stands, his legs feeling like jelly, and he turns around when Percy gestures for him to and squeezes his eyes shut. The cord is just long enough for Percy to use both his hands to gently push up Credence’s coat and shirt without jostling his arm too much. There’s a pause, once Credence feels cool air on his lower back before Percy pushes them up further.<br/><br/>He doesn’t gasp or exclaim in shock. He’s quiet for a while and eventually Credence hears him sigh, very gently.<br/><br/>“It’s up higher than I can get to with your coat on,” Percy says. “Don’t be alarmed, but I’m going to use magic to take it off since we are otherwise incapable.”<br/><br/>Credence bites his lip and nods. He still flinches when his coat suddenly disappears and he hopes it’s forever, but then Percy tosses it onto his chair. He hates the coat, Ma always says they can’t afford a new one, and it gets thinner every year, he’s sure.<br/><br/>Percy is able to lift his shirt to his shoulders and his hand, warm and steady, brushes over Credence’s back, up to just below his shoulder blade, where the belt cracked his skin. He doesn’t touch it but Credence feels a sting and winces until the sting fades altogether, along with the ache.<br/><br/>“I have a cream for bruises,” Percy says. “You have a few, but the cut is healed. I can’t do anything for the scars.”<br/><br/>Credence had been too afraid to ask and he is mildly disappointed but he nods anyway. “Okay,” he says. “Thank you, Percy. I’m sorry.”<br/><br/>“You don’t have anything to be sorry about,” Percy says firmly. His hand rests over Credence’s hip and a cabinet to Credence’s right springs open and a white and purple tub zooms out of it and to Percy behind him. “Sorry,” Percy says when Credence jumps. “Summoning spells are probably going to come in handy today.”<br/><br/>Credence smiles a little and nods. He smells lavender and something like chamomile and Percy’s fingers are gentle when he rubs the cream into Credence’s skin.<br/><br/>“Couple of hours and they’ll be gone,” Percy says when he finishes and pulls Credence’s shirt back down, almost tenderly. “I don’t know how to fix our problem right now. I think that’s going to take more work than we were both hoping for and probably more than one day.”<br/><br/>“But I—”<br/><br/>“Have to be home by eight, I know,” Percy says. “And you know as well as I do that isn’t a place you ever need to go back to again. We can talk more about that later. Your mother isn’t going to search the city all night for you, I imagine.”<br/><br/>“No,” Credence mumbles, tears in his eyes again. “She’ll be angry but she’ll wait for me to come home.”<br/><br/>Percy rubs Credence’s hip before pulling his hand away. “Sit,” he says and once Credence has, he does the same. “Whether I knew what she was doing to you or not, Credence, I can’t fix this today. You’d have to stay with me either way. We’ll figure it out.”<br/><br/>Credence sniffs. “What if it takes a long time?”<br/><br/>“We’ll figure that out too, but I don’t expect to be tied together for years,” Percy says with a faint smile. “It’ll be alright.”<br/><br/>“Okay,” Credence says and looks away. He doesn’t think he can look at Percy again, knowing he’s getting what he wanted, but Percy seems to know that was his goal either way and he doesn’t seem angry about it. “Thank you, Percy.”<br/><br/>“You’re welcome,” Percy sighs. “I’m going to order us some lunch from the cafeteria and hope I can handle a fork with my left hand as well as I can handle my wand.”<br/><br/>“Oh,” Credence says, his cheeks warm. “I suppose it would have been better if it was on my right hand. I don’t have any important work to do.”<br/><br/>“Yes, well,” Percy says, “I’m not leaving the office today. I’ve got plenty of my own on the streets looking for Mister Scamander and his suitcase of wonders,” he adds darkly. “Hopefully we get good news by the end of the day.”<br/><br/>Credence nods. “I hope so,” he says and smiles. “His name is Mister Scamander?”<br/><br/>“Newton Scamander, magizoologist,” Percy says. “Studies magical animals. Most magizoologists don’t have suitcases full of those animals, but I suppose we’ll see why he does when we track him down. His brother is an Auror in the British Ministry of Magic.”<br/><br/>“He is?” Credence asks with surprise and looks at Percy. “He does what you do?”<br/><br/>“Yes. Well, he’s a senior Auror, so more field work than I get to do these days,” Percy says. “Paperwork is my mistress. His brother’s a damn war hero and Mister Scamander will go down in history for having caused the biggest headache of 1927 in America.”<br/><br/>Credence smiles, unable to help it. “I don’t think the monkey will hurt anyone at least.”<br/><br/>“No, Demiguises are known for their calm nature,” Percy says with amusement. “It’s the several tonne Erumpent I'm worried about.” He reaches into his pocket and hands Credence the quarter.<br/><br/>Credence takes it and smiles as he turns it over in his hand. He puts it in his pocket and thinks he may just hold on to it for the rest of his life, if he’s lucky.<br/><br/>They eat lunch a half hour later. There’s chicken barley soup, hot and comforting and delicious, along with a turkey melt, some of the best food Credence has ever eaten. He drinks pomegranate juice for the first time and finds he likes it very much, not too sweet and not too tart. They talk as they eat, mostly Percy answering Credence’s hesitant questions, and it’s good, Credence thinks.<br/><br/>It might all be taken away from him in the blink of an eye, like good things usually are, but he’ll cling to this for as long as he can.<br/><br/>When the dishes have been cleaned away, Percy reads through various reports and Credence reads through <em> The Tales of Beedle the Bard </em> and knows it’s not so difficult because it’s a children’s book, but he finds it immensely entertaining.<br/><br/>It’s nearing four in the afternoon when there’s a knock on the door and Percy lets a man in, stocky with short brown hair, who is grinning.<br/><br/>“He’s downstairs with his no-maj friend,” he says. “Occamy and Demiguise are on the loose still but the Erumpent is back in his suitcase. You’re going to want to see it, Percy.”<br/><br/>“I’m sure I am,” Percy says. “How’d you get it?”<br/><br/>“He did,” the man says with a shrug. “Him and the no-maj got it back in the suitcase. We found them during it and once it was in, we arrested them.”<br/><br/>Percy nods. “Thank Merlin,” he says flatly. “I’ll be down shortly.”<br/><br/>The man nods and leaves the office and Credence looks at Percy with a smile.<br/><br/>“Oh, don’t smile yet. We’ve got two creatures on the loose still,” Percy says with a smirk. “One potentially dangerous. The other invisible.”<br/><br/>“At least the several tonne Erumpent is back in the suitcase.”<br/><br/>“Silver linings, Credence, I do like those,” Percy says with a sigh. He looks at Credence for a while and finally smiles. “You feel like sitting in on an interrogation? I imagine you might enjoy hearing about the no-maj’s day, as exciting as your own.”<br/><br/>Credence grins and ducks his head, shrugging. “If I’m not going to get in the way.”<br/><br/>“You are absolutely in the way, but I suspect I’m in your way as well, so I’m not too bothered,” Percy says. “I don’t expect anything nefarious with Mister Scamander which is why I’m allowing it. I only expect that he’s a complete fucking moron.”<br/><br/>Credence coughs a little and purses his lips. He thinks he might agree, maybe not so meanly, and after Percy has put paperwork away, he walks with him out of the office. It feels good to stretch his legs, even if the Aurors look up at him, probably because he’s clutching Percy’s sleeve, but he really has no choice.<br/><br/>They take the lift downstairs and what must be underground. There are no windows when they step out and the halls are emptier and quieter here. It’s a little eerie, in fact, but Percy walks through them like he has a thousand times before and Credence suspects that might be true. He turns down a hall and there’s another Auror, one Credence had briefly seen upstairs, leaning against the wall.<br/><br/>She perks up when she sees Percy. “Sir,” she says. “Mister Scamander mentioned to me he thinks he may know where the Occamy has gone. I think it’d be best if we took him out as soon as you’re done with him to find the last two.”<br/><br/>“Planned on it, Goldstein,” Percy says. “He is a magizoologist.”<br/><br/>Her cheeks are faintly pink. “I think he’s harmless, sir. Just… not very fond of following the law,” she says. “He’s taking a Thunderbird back to Arizona.”<br/><br/>“Where the fuck did he find a Thunderbird in England?”<br/><br/>“Egypt, apparently, part of a smuggling ring.”<br/><br/>Percy sighs. “A hero magizoologist then,” he says flatly. “I’ve got him, Goldstein, I’ll send for you if I need you.”<br/><br/>“Yes, sir,” Goldstein says hastily. She glances at Credence curiously and seems reluctant to leave, but she does, disappearing around the corner.<br/><br/>“Let’s see what we’ve got today,” Percy says and walks to a door, thick and solid except a small window in it. He pushes it open and walks inside and Credence follows him in.<br/><br/>Mister Scamander and the no-maj are sitting next to each other, their hands behind their backs, and they are the same two he saw this morning. The no-maj frowns at him, like he recognizes Credence too, but he doesn’t say anything.<br/><br/>“Gentlemen. I am Director Percival Graves,” Percy says and conjures another chair for Credence. They sit down together, a little more used to doing so and hiding the bonds on their wrists now. “We’ve all had a very, very exciting day thanks to you.”<br/><br/>“Ah, well,” Newton Scamander says with a pained smile, “Jacob was rather unfortunately dragged along for the carpet ride.”<br/><br/>“Jacob Kowalski,” Jacob says with a smile. “Hell of a thing.”<br/><br/>Credence bites his lip to stop a smile because Percy doesn’t look amused in the slightest.<br/><br/>“An Erumpent,” Percy says so sternly Jacob stops smiling. “A Billywig. An Occamy. A Demiguise. A Niffler. What am I missing?”<br/><br/>“Murtlap,” Jacob says and tilts his neck to the side, revealing a rather nasty looking bite wound. “Got me right in the neck, if you can believe it.”<br/><br/>Mister Scamander grimaces. “I’ve put a salve on it, he’ll be good as new by Wednesday,” he says with a smile. “None of these creatures are dangerous.”<br/><br/>“I think Mister Kowalski might disagree for a reason he only just demonstrated,” Percy says with a short smile. “This is a problem, Mister Scamander. I have a feeling that suitcase of yours houses an even bigger problem, if you’re fitting an entire Erumpent into it.”<br/><br/>“Hell of a thing,” Jacob says until Mister Scamander shushes him.<br/><br/>“None of the creatures in there are dangerous,” Mister Scamander says. “I’ve had most of them for a very long time. They’re rare and endangered and most have been rescued from smugglers. I’m only in America to free Frank.”<br/><br/>“Frank,” Percy says.<br/><br/>“A Thunderbird I rescued in Egypt.”<br/><br/>“What else is in the suitcase?”<br/><br/>Mister Scamander ducks his head and doesn’t respond right away. Jacob looks at him and at Percy.<br/><br/>“They really aren’t dangerous,” he says politely. “Very well behaved… magical creatures. Sweet, some of them.”<br/><br/>“I’m sorry, are you an Auror?” Mister Scamander asks Credence quite suddenly, peering at him with interest.<br/><br/>“Mister Scamander,” Percy says. “I’d advise you to speak only when spoken to.”<br/><br/>Mister Scamander frowns at Percy rather obstinately but he doesn’t say anything more, only looks at Credence, as does Jacob. He knows Credence is a no-maj - or, at least, he was, only a few hours ago - and he looks like he’s burning to ask why the man he ran into on the street is now sitting across from him in a magical interrogation room and Credence wants to tell him he knows how he feels.<br/><br/>“What else is in the suitcase?” Percy asks again.<br/><br/>“A variety of animals,” Mister Scamander answers. “I imagine Aurors have already catalogued all of my creatures. Perhaps with the Magical Creatures department’s help.”<br/><br/>“They will likely be confiscated, Mister Scamander. Do you not realize that?”<br/><br/>For a moment Mister Scamander looks genuinely shocked and fearful. “I know those creatures better than anyone. They’re not dangerous, they’re extremely endangered, and they’re well taken care of.”<br/><br/>“Except when you let them loose in Manhattan.”<br/><br/>“It was my fault,” Jacob says hastily. “Our suitcases got switched, see, and I opened it thinking I’d find my grandma’s paczki but I found a Murtlap’s teeth in my neck instead. Just surprised him, is all, don’t think he would have bitten me otherwise.”<br/><br/>Credence raises his eyebrows and presses his knuckles against his mouth as he looks between him and Percy, who looks as if he’d like a stiff drink.<br/><br/>“That’s well and good, Mister Kowalski,” Percy says. “But the fact that the suitcase exists at all is a violation of wizarding law. Here <em> and </em> in Britain,” he adds firmly when he looks at Mister Scamander, who looks up at the ceiling. “I am willing to hear from our own magizoologists on what should be done with your creatures and I will listen to their advice. But this is not the first time you’ve flouted the law. You were expelled from Hogwarts, were you not?”<br/><br/>“That was…” Mister Scamander trails off. “Well, yes, but I was allowed to keep my wand and my professor did vouch strongly for me.”<br/><br/>“Professor Albus Dumbledore. Friends in high places,” Percy says. “The reason for your expulsion was for endangering the life of a fellow student with a dangerous magical creature, was it not?”<br/><br/>Credence grimaces and he feels badly for Mister Scamander. He looks like a kind man, if a little bizarre, and Credence is very familiar with the awkwardness of him, because he possesses so much of it himself. It’s not his place to offer his opinion but he thinks that Mister Scamander simply likes to do what’s right, regardless if there’s a law against it or not.<br/><br/>“Yes,” Mister Scamander sighs. “Though that was the foolish mistake of a child. I’ve learned quite a lot since then.”<br/><br/>“Have you? It seems to me you’re still endangering the lives of people with dangerous magical creatures on this very day,” Percy says. “Whatever your intent was, you’ve broken numerous laws, including the Statute.” He gestures at Jacob. “I have every inclination to throw you into Attermarc for up to five years, Mister Scamander. Would you like to give me a reason why I shouldn’t?”<br/><br/>Credence holds his breath and Jacob seems to be doing so as well, as they look between Mister Scamander and Percy.<br/><br/>“Because those creatures will die without my aid,” Mister Scamander says simply. “They’ll be separated, rehoused, euthanised, I’m sure, in some cases, due to a gross misunderstanding of their natures. They’ll fall into the wrong hands and years of hard work, of breeding them to not lose them from this world forever, will have been for nothing.”<br/><br/>Percy gazes at Mister Scamander for a while and leans back in his chair. He’s quiet, observing Mister Scamander, and Credence thinks it might be some sort of intimidation, but Percy doesn’t look like he’s posturing. He looks like he’s judging, really, judging Mister Scamander’s very character.<br/><br/>“You’ve been fortunate, Mister Scamander,” Percy says. “That your creatures have yet to harm anyone excluding Mister Kowalski here. Can you find the Occamy and the Demiguise?”<br/><br/>“Freshly hatched Occamy,” Mister Scamander says. “So she’ll be hungry and I’ve some ideas where she might be.”<br/><br/>“Beautiful,” Jacob says. “Absolutely beautiful animal. The egg shell!” He shakes his head, as if he still can’t get over the beauty of whatever an Occamy egg shell looks like. “The Murtlap ain’t so pretty, but… well, you saw it.” He looks at Credence.<br/><br/>Credence flushes and sits up a little straighter. “Oh, umm… yes, I did.”<br/><br/>“Are you here to confirm it was us or somethin’?” Jacob asks with interest. “Ain’t you a no-maj too?”<br/><br/>“Mister Kowalski,” Percy says warningly.<br/><br/>“Right, speak only when spoken to,” Jacob says and nods. “Sorry, Director Graves.”<br/><br/>Percy’s pinching the bridge of his nose. “The Demiguise, Mister Scamander?”<br/><br/>“Ah, Dougal,” Mister Scamander sighs with fondness. “Yes, but he’ll be trickier. He does like shiny things and due to so many stores being decorated for Christmas, I imagine we’ll find him in one of them.”<br/><br/>Credence thinks of the quarter in his pocket as being a shiny thing and smiles to himself. Dougal is an odd name but this entire day has been odd. Credence is a wizard, at least Percy and Twycross seem to think so, and he supposes this is his world now.<br/><br/>Not that he’ll be sitting in on an interrogation ever again. He thinks if he was sitting across anyone involved in the Dark Arts, he’d be much more frightened.<br/><br/>“Shopping on Fifth Avenue?” Percy asks dryly.<br/><br/>“Yes, that’s very likely,” Mister Scamander says.<br/><br/>Credence bites his lip and looks at Percy, who looks like he may want to curse Mister Scamander where he sits.<br/><br/>“Mister Scamander,” Percy sighs. “I am giving you permission to join the hunt for the remaining two creatures. You will not be able to perform magic, you will not have a wand, and you will be taken directly to a cell afterward. We’ll discuss pending charges tomorrow morning. I need the Occamy and Demiguise to be found <em> tonight. </em> Do you understand me?”<br/><br/>Mister Scamander nods. “Yes,” he says. “Thank you for allowing me to find them rather than killing them.”<br/><br/>“MACUSA is just as interested in protecting endangered magical creatures as you are, Mister Scamander,” Percy says. “Don’t forget that we have entire departments dedicated to it.”<br/><br/>“Flawed departments,” Mister Scamander says and ducks his head when Percy stares at him.<br/><br/>“I will be taking a look at that suitcase myself soon,” Percy says. “More charges may be added depending on what I find. They will remain pending if you do well tonight.”<br/><br/>Mister Scamander nods in understanding.<br/><br/>“Can I help?” Jacob asks. “We did pretty good as a team with the Erumpent and Niffler.”<br/><br/>“He truly is of extraordinary help to me,” Mister Scamander says. “He does everything I ask without question and when it comes to time being of the essence, I find that to be important.”<br/><br/>“Don’t we all,” Percy says. “I’m not putting a no-maj’s life in danger.”<br/><br/>Jacob frowns. “Hey, I mean, I saw that Occamy thing hatched, I don’t think I’m in any danger with her.”<br/><br/>“Then Mister Scamander has clearly not informed you of the powers Occamies possess,” Percy says. “I’m sorry, Mister Kowalski, but you’re sitting the rest of the evening out.”<br/><br/>“Are you going to Obliviate him?” Mister Scamander asks and he sounds angry, which surprises Credence.<br/><br/>He doesn’t think Mister Scamander gets angry very often.<br/><br/>“That is the law,” Percy says. “Yes.”<br/><br/>“What does that mean?” Jacob asks with some concern. “Obliviate?”<br/><br/>Mister Scamander looks genuinely upset and Credence doesn’t know what it is either, but he thinks he has an idea and frowns. He looks at Percy, who is unmoved by either of them, and feels immensely sorry for Jacob.<br/><br/>He is lucky enough to remember this day because of the magic in his veins, the luckiest he’s ever been in his life, but he thinks Jacob will go home tonight and not remember today at all.<br/><br/>Credence realizes that Percy would have done the same to him. As soon as he was done interviewing him in Central Park, he would have made Credence forget everything he’d seen and gone about his day without a care, most likely. He still was going to do it, whenever their bond finally broke, but then he’d found out Credence was a wizard too.<br/><br/>He doesn’t know why but it makes his eyes burn and he wonders why he should be so lucky when Jacob has helped save lives today. Credence had only been moping in Central Park.<br/><br/>“Someone will come by to speak to you, Mister Kowalski,” Percy says. “Sit tight. I best hear good news tonight, Mister Scamander.” He looks at Credence and gestures for him to stand.<br/><br/>Credence frowns but he does so and walks to the door, feeling as if he should say something to Jacob, but he hasn’t got any idea what. Nothing that would make him feel better, he’s sure, because Credence knows nothing would make him feel better if he knew his memory was going to be erased.<br/><br/>Percy opens the door and he’s halfway out of it when Jacob says, “What the hell is that?”<br/><br/>Credence looks back at him and sees him looking at his hand and with a start, he realizes he forgot to grab Percy’s coat and the magic that binds them together is perfectly visible.<br/><br/>“Are you Director Graves’ prisoner?” Jacob asks with heavy sympathy.<br/><br/>“No, no,” Mister Scamander says. “That’s a magical bond.”<br/><br/>That makes his heart skip a beat and Credence gapes at him, then at Percy. Percy quirks an eyebrow at Credence before looking at Mister Scamander.<br/><br/>“And how do you know what a magical bond is, Mister Scamander?”<br/><br/>“Heard all about them one night when I was in Rio,” Mister Scamander says. “Very rare magic. I didn’t think I’d ever see it in my life.”<br/><br/>“Do you know how to break it?” Percy asks.<br/><br/>“Goodness no.”<br/><br/>“Alright,” Percy sighs and walks out of the room, closing the door behind himself. It locks and Percy looks at Credence, moving out of sight of the small window on the door. “Are you alright?”<br/><br/>Credence blinks as he looks at Percy and sees that he looks concerned for him again and it takes a moment for Credence to realize it has nothing to do with Mister Scamander not knowing how to break the bond.<br/><br/>“Oh,” he says and shrugs, looking at the ground. “You’re going to erase Mister Kowalski’s memories, aren’t you?”<br/><br/>Percy is quiet and sighs eventually. “Just of the events of today,” he says. “It’s required by law. It keeps our worlds separated and safe.”<br/><br/>Credence frowns and shakes his head. “You were going to do it to me too.”<br/><br/>“Every Auror is required to do it and all of wizardkind is required to report it when no-majs see magic, Credence,” Percy says. “We risk arrest if we don’t Obliviate no-majs if they see magic in any way.”<br/><br/>“But he’s been involved all day,” Credence says as he looks at Percy. “He’s been helping all day. They’re friends. You’re going to make him forget that.”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Percy says. “I have no choice. I’m not risking the lives of wizardkind to let one no-maj run off with everything he’s seen. A no-maj that will tell other no-majs about it.”<br/><br/>“How do you know he will? If Mister Scamander swore him to secrecy, I’m sure he wouldn’t.”<br/><br/>“That’s not the way it works, Credence,” Percy says. “It’s simply too big of a risk and not one I’m willing to entertain. You’ll get used to the Statute.”<br/><br/>Credence frowns when Percy begins to stride off and doesn’t follow, which snaps the bond between them until Percy turns around, irritated, and looks at Credence.<br/><br/>“Credence—”<br/><br/>“That’s an unfair law,” Credence says. “There are no exceptions for no-majs who save people’s lives?”<br/><br/>Percy sighs and moves his hand up to rub his temples. “There are not,” he says. “Credence, I don’t have the time to get in a debate with you over the fairness of wizarding law. We need to go upstairs so I can get Mister Scamander on the street with Aurors and find these creatures.”<br/><br/>Credence looks away and nods, because he does know that needs to be done. He follows Percy through the hallways and into the lift upstairs. He feels like he’s experienced a loss of some sort, though he doesn’t think he could explain it, beyond feeling sorry for Jacob and Mister Scamander.<br/><br/>Jacob, who thinks all of this is simply a <em> hell of a thing, </em> who was in the same boat Credence was at the first time he said it. But he hardly knows Percy and he can’t tell him what to do, can’t even ask him to do something different.<br/><br/>They share a magical bond that has to do with matters of the heart, but that could simply mean they’re destined to be friends, as Percy had said. Credence would be overstepping asking even a close friend to break the law because he felt sorry for a person. The law is unfair but there are many laws that are unfair and Credence could never ask anyone to break those either if it risked lives. He understands where Percy is coming from but it still upsets him.<br/><br/>He walks with Percy through the maze of the building until they arrive in the Auror department. Percy speaks with Captain Fontaine and the other Captain, Captain Barrows, Credence comes to know, and listens to him give orders. He doesn’t ever say to kill the creatures, only to <em> incapacitate </em> if need be, and Credence hopes that doesn’t mean to kill them.<br/><br/>But he’s hardly going to complain about the unfairness of that too.<br/><br/>They walk into Percy’s office after that and Credence sees that it’s just past five. It’s strange to think he won’t be going home tonight and he realizes he doesn’t know where they’ll be going. Percy’s home, he assumes, but maybe that feels personal even to him.<br/><br/>“I would prefer to stay in the office until we get word about the remaining two,” Percy says. “But that could be hours yet and I’m sure you’d like some dinner.”<br/><br/>Credence looks at him as he leans against his desk. He sits in the chair himself, glad again that the cord is long enough to let him do so. “Dinner would be good,” he says. “Where… where are we going to go if we don’t stay here?”<br/><br/>“Home, preferably,” Percy says with a tired smile. “My home. I don’t think we particularly have a choice in the matter.”<br/><br/>“How, umm…” Credence trails off and realizes the gravity of being attached to someone for more than one work day. “How are we going to…”<br/><br/>“Piss? Sleep? Shower?” Percy asks and waves his hand dismissively. “We’ll figure it out. One step at a time. Let me tell Fontaine he’s got the floor and we’ll go to the apartment. That’ll be the first step because I’m not taking another damn taxi.”<br/><br/>Credence smiles and stands so they can walk to the door. Once Percy has finished telling Fontaine to contact him via portrait, whatever that means, when the creatures have been rounded up, they step back into the office.<br/><br/>It is a big step, Credence thinks, when Percy describes what the Floo Network is and Credence thinks he might not want to be a wizard after all. Percy laughs when he says it and gently holds Credence’s hand and tells him it’ll be alright.<br/><br/>He said that about the magical bond too, but Credence doesn’t remind him of that. He only sighs and gets into the fireplace with Percy once it’s expanded, feeling very foolish.<br/><br/>But after a lot of uncomfortable and alarming spinning, Credence finds himself on solid ground again, in a different fireplace, and looking at a completely different room.<br/><br/>“See? You did well,” Percy says and walks out of the fireplace with Credence once he’s gotten his bearings. “I hope we find our answer to this little problem,” he continues, shaking his wrist, “sooner rather than later, preferably, but you’ll stay here with me.”<br/><br/>Credence knows he has no choice in the matter and yet he feels dread at the thought, now that he’s got <em> pissing </em> and <em> sleeping </em> and <em> showering </em> stuck in his head. And he does have to use the bathroom, quite badly now that he’s thinking about it, and he’s barely able to tell Percy so.<br/><br/>But Percy only chuckles and leads Credence to the bathroom in his bedroom, which Credence supposes he’ll be forced to use too, and tries not to stare at the bed. It’s large, at least, so they won’t be on top of each other.<br/><br/>Percy can’t quite stay out of the bathroom because it’s absurdly big but Credence has to go badly enough that he pushes past the embarrassment. Once he’s washed his hands and they walk back out into the living room, he feels wrung out, but better to have taken another step. It helps that Percy only smiles at him, looking faintly amused, and he supposes that Percy has likely been close to other people in a way that he hasn’t.<br/><br/>Credence has only used a public restroom a few times in his life, let alone shared an apartment and a bed with someone.<br/><br/>Of course that first someone would look just like Percy and Credence wonders more at <em> matters of the heart, </em> but he thinks if he begins to think of it as more than friendship, those thoughts will spiral out of control.<br/><br/>It’s not right or natural but sinful and wicked, even the Bible says so, and he barely believes in God anymore, but he didn’t believe in witches at all until today either.<br/><br/>Percy cooks dinner with only a few waves of his wand and Credence watches it come together and thinks that witches were supposed to be sinful and wicked and unnatural too, but they aren’t that. Percy isn’t that, Mister Scamander isn’t, no one that Credence has met today has been that.<br/><br/>He wants to think that he isn’t either, when it comes to being a wizard, but he must be otherwise.<br/><br/>Once they’ve eaten dinner, they sit on the sofa with books and drinks, though Credence’s is nonalcoholic and Percy’s is a full glass of whiskey.<br/><br/>Credence tries to read but he finds himself distracted, glancing over his book at Percy, who has magicked himself into more comfortable clothes and offered the same for Credence, but he’d said no. Percy looks immensely more relaxed, his shoulders loosened and the sternness gone from his face. His hair isn’t as finely done, a strand hanging loosely over his forehead, and Credence feels his heart race as he looks at him.<br/><br/>When he picks up the whiskey and takes a drink, Credence watches his throat when he swallows and is surprised he doesn’t burst into flames on the spot.<br/><br/>“Percy,” Credence mumbles, trying not to think about hell and damnation, “you said that the church wasn’t a place I had to go back to.”<br/><br/>Percy looks over his book at Credence. “I did,” he says. “And it isn’t. You belong in the wizarding world, Credence, not with a woman who tells you witches are evil every day and hurts you on top of it.”<br/><br/>Credence bites his lip as he thinks for a while. “It’s strange to think I would never see her again,” he says quietly. “It’s not… she’s always been cruel,” he adds hastily. “But—”<br/><br/>“She’s your mother,” Percy says simply. “And you’ve lived with her for twenty-seven years. I understand that. But I’m not going to let her hurt you again. If you want to see her, that’s up to you, but you can’t live there anymore.”<br/><br/>“I know,” Credence says. “And I don’t want to. I’ve wanted to run away most of my life. She always told me all the reasons I couldn’t and I believed her. I didn’t know I had a place where I belonged.” He frowns. “I don’t know what she would do if I never came home.”<br/><br/>“Grow miserable and bitter because she doesn’t have anyone to take her hatred out on anymore,” Percy says and shrugs when Credence wrinkles his nose. “I’ve seen it often, Credence. She might be glad if you turned up in the coming days and weeks but once the doors are closed she won’t be glad anymore.”<br/><br/>Credence knows the truth of that and nods, looking down at his book. It's best if he never goes back. “I don’t want to be a burden on you though,” he says. “Where am I going to go once the bond comes off?”<br/><br/>Percy smiles. “One step at a time,” he says and chuckles when Credence sighs. “I know, it’s a concern. But there are options, plenty of them. I’m not going to kick you out the moment this comes off. We’ll talk about it then. You’re not going to be alone again, Credence, if you don’t want to be.”<br/><br/>“Alright,” Credence says quietly and with a small smile. He does trust Percy on this. He thinks he trusts Percy with everything and he doesn’t know why that is, thinks it might be foolish, but it’s what’s in his heart. “Thank you, Percy.”<br/><br/>“You’re welcome, Credence,” Percy says and pats Credence’s knee. “Once I’m done dealing with the Scamander situation tomorrow, I’ll take the rest of the day off. Probably a few, if that’s what it takes.”<br/><br/>“I don’t want you to miss work.”<br/><br/>“I’m afraid that’s what has to happen,” Percy says with a chuckle. “Not only would it be difficult to get work done in my office, but I spend a lot of time on the floor with my Aurors talking about cases. A lot of sensitive information. My Captains can handle themselves just fine for a few days. I can’t exactly do any field work either.”<br/><br/>Credence hums. “Like interviewing people? The way you did with me?”<br/><br/>“Or having duels with dark wizards whose every spell is meant to severely injure or kill me,” Percy says lightly. “I don’t think you’d appreciate being attached to me for that.”<br/><br/>Credence gapes at him. “You fight dark wizards? In a… a wand battle?”<br/><br/>“I am an Auror,” Percy says and smiles. “It doesn’t happen often, but I do occasionally. Certainly not while you’re here.”<br/><br/>“You are like a detective,” Credence mumbles and feels a little queasy. He thinks Percy must be very good at what he does to be the Director but it’s frightening to think he might die any time he’s in a wand battle. “Are tommy guns or wands more dangerous?”<br/><br/>Percy laughs. “Hit someone just right with either and it’s instant death,” he says. “Injuries can be healed with wands and salves and potions. Sometimes within seconds, whereas the same injury might require surgery and months of recovery for a no-maj. Firearms are barbaric to most people in the wizarding world.”<br/><br/>“I have a feeling no-majs might think using wands to hurt or kill each other is barbaric too,” Credence says and smiles. “But they do seem like they’d be nice to have for everyday use.”<br/><br/>“They are,” Percy says with a smirk. “Can’t imagine life without magic.”<br/><br/>Credence thinks life without magic is awful too and can only hope that life with it will be better than what he’s experienced so far. But the idea of having a wand at all is scary too and he pushes that thought aside, because he doubts there’s any need to rush into that. Not when they’ve got more pressing concerns.<br/><br/>“Do you have any ideas?”<br/><br/>“Some,” Percy says. “Still working through them. Miss Twycross’ information gave me more questions than answers but I am confident of one thing.”<br/><br/>“What’s that?”<br/><br/>“That you and I,” Percy says as he looks at Credence with a smile, “are meant to get along. That’s an encouraging thought.”<br/><br/>Credence looks down at his book, his cheeks warm, and smiles. “Do you think we would have if this hadn’t have happened? If we met in a different way?”<br/><br/>“I don’t see why not,” Percy says. “This is inconvenient but I’m glad we met this way.”<br/><br/>“Me too,” Credence peeps and flips a page in his book, not really reading it versus looking at the pictures.<br/><br/>When the clock passes eight soon after, Credence feels like another step has been taken, for him personally. He’s not in the church, not facing a punishment ever again, and there’s an immense relief in it. To know it has officially happened and that he sits at Percy’s side, when the night could be going an entirely different way.<br/><br/>Around half past nine the portrait above the fireplace speaks, which makes Credence drop his book in alarm and Percy pat his knee.<br/><br/>But the man in the portrait informs Percy that the creatures have been rounded up and magizoologists that work in the Magical Creatures department are taking care of the animals in Mister Scamander’s suitcase.<br/><br/>Mister Scamander himself is in a cell for the night, as is Jacob, which surprises Credence. He thought Percy was going to send him home tonight without his memories but once the man in the portrait has walked out of the frame, Percy smiles wryly.<br/><br/>“I’ve got a few more questions for Mister Kowalski,” he says. “But he will be Obliviated and sent home tomorrow once I’m finished with him.”<br/><br/>Credence sighs and nods, because he truly does understand, even if he dislikes it.<br/><br/>He’s tired after that, the day officially done, all creatures accounted for and Mister Scamander and Jacob locked away for now. Credence on Percy’s sofa, which he feels a little guilty about, but Percy’s hand is still on his knee and he tries to enjoy that feeling instead.<br/><br/>It feels like a half hour goes by but it’s only minutes, he realizes, when he feels the book taken out of his hands and blinks in surprise, because he’d been falling asleep. He looks up at Percy standing in front of him and when he offers his hand, Credence takes it.<br/><br/>“We’re going to have to do something about your clothes,” Percy says as he waves his hand around the living room and the lights turn off. He leads Credence into the bedroom. “If you let me adjust them, they’ll be more comfortable tonight.”<br/><br/>Credence is nervous about that because the way it had been done earlier was so abrupt. But sleeping in his trousers and scratchy shirt does sound awful and he sighs, nodding.<br/><br/>It only takes two flicks of Percy’s wand and it is strange to feel his clothes change entirely while he’s wearing them, but Credence is otherwise uninjured and unchanged, beyond being more comfortable.<br/><br/>He breathes a sigh of relief, until he remembers they’re going to be sleeping next to each other.<br/><br/>They use the bathroom first and then stand at the bedside, eyeing it for a while.<br/><br/>Percy says he usually sleeps closer to the door but he can’t at the moment, the way they’re bound, and Credence feels badly for that. But Percy doesn’t seem to mind and moves around to the other side so he can climb in and Credence can follow.<br/><br/>His bed is sinfully soft and the sheets are silky and the comforter thick and warm, better than anything Credence has ever experienced. He lays on his back and stares up the ceiling for a while once the lights are off and though he is bone tired, he is highly aware of Percy a few feet away from him.<br/><br/>Their hands are close to each other in the middle of the bed, a reminder that they’re stuck together, and Credence thinks he’ll never be able to sleep.<br/><br/>He’s asleep minutes later and won’t realize it until one in the morning, when he rolls over and hears Percy grunt in surprise because he’s yanked him along with him. Credence is mortified and apologizes profusely, but Percy’s laughing, husky and low with sleep, which doesn’t help matters, and assures Credence it will likely be an adjustment.<br/><br/>Percy does it to Credence at three in the morning and Credence finds it is easier to laugh about it then.<br/><br/>“No dignity at all,” Percy remarks. “We might as well abandon it completely until we figure this out.”<br/><br/>Credence grins, curled up on his left side and looking at Percy in the faint moonlight. “Maybe that’s what Miss Twycross meant. Truth, acceptance, support and understanding. That we have to forget dignity and help each other through this.”<br/><br/>“Forgetting my dignity will be very difficult for me,” Percy says with good humor. “You could be right.”<br/><br/>“I’ll try not to pull your arm off.”<br/><br/>“I’ll try not to do the same to you. Good night, Credence.”<br/><br/>“Good night, Percy,” Credence says with a smile and closes his eyes.<br/><br/>He’s warm, comfortable, well fed and he may be lying in bed with another man, but that man is Percy, who is as warm and comfortable as everything else. It’s easy to fall back asleep, feeling safe for the first time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here lies Percival Graves, killed by stress and complete fucking morons.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Credence wakes in the morning and for once in his life, he doesn’t feel dread doing so. He’s comfortable enough that he knows all of yesterday was real, that it wasn’t a nightmare and he isn’t stuck in the church anymore.<br/><br/>It’s light in the room, the sun up, and he’s a little surprised by that, because he expected Percy to wake him earlier so he could get to work. But he supposes they both had a long day and maybe Percy is giving him the chance to sleep in some, which is a luxury Credence thought he’d never have. <br/><br/>He realizes he’s on his right side and for a shocking moment he thinks the bonds might have disappeared, but he feels a warmth on his hip and knows it’s Percy’s hand. Credence holds his breath and squeezes his eyes shut, his heart racing, and pushes past the part of him that likes it. The part of him that wants it to stay, the part Ma always tells him is wicked. <br/><br/>Percy isn’t pressed against him but Credence can still feel the warmth of him at his back and he thinks it’s probably his doing. That he rolled over and Percy didn’t bother waking him to tell him it’s not a convenient way for either of them to sleep. He relaxes a little at that thought even if it makes him feel badly. <br/><br/>“Good morning,” Percy says. <br/><br/>Credence keeps himself still and his breathing even, something he is good at because it was necessary he became good at, and bites the inside of his cheek. He wonders how long Percy has been awake. <br/><br/>“Good morning,” he says quietly. “I hope you’re not late for work.” <br/><br/>Percy chuckles. “Well, if I am, I think the boss is alright with it today,” he says. “Should probably get going soon though. Not only do I need to finish with Scamander but we’re going to have to take a look at that suitcase.” <br/><br/>“How does he have a several tonne animal inside of it?” <br/><br/>Percy rolls onto his back, his hand sliding off of Credence’s hip and it feels like a loss, but Credence is relieved either way. He moves onto his back as well and looks at Percy, who is rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and Credence feels his heart ache to see it. <br/><br/>It’s hard to be intimidated by him anymore. He stopped feeling that some time yesterday but seeing Percy like this, in a vulnerable sort of place with his hair a mess softens him and Credence likes that. He shouldn’t, but he realized he was wicked when he was around nine years old, even if he didn’t accept it until he was older. <br/><br/>“Undetectable Extension Charm,” Percy says. “I’m assuming there’s a way to get into the suitcase, stairs or a ladder, and I imagine we’re going to be walking into a large place. If there’s a Thunderbird and Erumpent in there, not counting everything else, he’s made room for them.” <br/><br/>Credence frowns for a while as he tries to imagine it. “In… in a suitcase? All of that?” <br/><br/>“Wildly illegal,” Percy mutters darkly. “For reasons such as this. Normally someone has to get a government’s permission to perform the charm but most people, if they’re skilled enough to do it, don’t. Often because they are hiding things that’ll get them thrown in jail.” <br/><br/>“Like a lot of endangered and illegal magical creatures?” <br/><br/>Percy points at Credence and sits up with a sigh. “I’m eager to see that Thunderbird. He wasn’t lying when he said he rescued it from a smuggling ring and I’d like to see it back in Arizona.” <br/><br/>Credence sits up too and scrubs at his eyes. “Arizona?” he asks. “That’s where Thunderbirds live?” <br/><br/>“The only place in the world they live, so they’ve highly valuable. They’re also a protected species because of it but they’re still poached too often. As long as he doesn’t have a Nundu in that suitcase, I’ll likely send him back to England,” Percy says and looks at Credence with a smile. “Please hope he doesn’t have a Nundu.” <br/><br/>Credence grins and looks at his lap. “What if he does? Are you going to send him back to England with the suitcase?” <br/><br/>“I am absolutely not,” Percy says. “If they’re as endangered as he says, MACUSA’s magizoologists will want to keep them alive and get them into proper enclosures.” <br/><br/>“Will they really euthanize any dangerous ones?” <br/><br/>“I don’t know yet,” Percy says. “Depends on how dangerous they are. Nundus, for example, are extremely dangerous and known to kill people. They’re also nearly impossible to kill themselves, which makes them even more dangerous. If he has one of those, most likely.” <br/><br/>Credence frowns. “But Mister Scamander was able to get it into his suitcase and care for it. If he has one. He was able to get all of them in there.” <br/><br/>“A man of talents,” Percy mutters irritably. “We’ll see how he accomplished all of it. Come on, I need the bathroom and shower. We’ll have breakfast and head out.” <br/><br/>Credence’s thoughts go in an entirely different direction than Mister Scamander and he’s a little mortified, because he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do while Percy’s in the shower. He looks at the bonds still wrapped around their wrists and curses them, because he’s bound to embarrass himself. <br/><br/>He follows Percy out of bed and into the bathroom and once they’re both done with the toilet, Percy turns on the shower and gestures at the covered seat. <br/><br/>“Sit there and I’ll try to figure out how to not yank on your arm and wash my hair. This is inordinately inconvenient,” Percy says with a frown. “Hopefully we can figure it out within the next few days.” <br/><br/>“Hopefully,” Credence says, his cheeks hot as he sits down on the covered toilet seat and looks to his right, so he doesn’t have to see anything that’ll get stuck in his head for the rest of his life. “What, umm… what if we don’t?” <br/><br/>Credence is the unluckiest person in the world and he has a feeling this isn’t going to be easy to figure out. That he and Percy are going to be stuck like this for a while and he thinks it may turn out badly if they are and not just because Percy will miss so much work. Credence has nowhere important to be, but he’s not sure he can do this every morning. He’s not sure he can even take a shower himself, the thought mortifying enough to make him cringe and his stomach churn. <br/><br/>Percy’s seen the shame he carries on his back but that doesn’t seem so bad now compared to being nude near him because he thinks Percy probably isn’t as concerned about that as Credence. <br/><br/>He’s going to have to change Credence’s shirts for him, he realizes with even more despair, and wishes Twycross had something more direct to say about solving this. <br/><br/>“It’s a good thing I adapt to inconvenient situations so well,” Percy is saying. “We’ll be used to this in a few days, if there’s a need to be. Once we get through the trial and error period. People aren’t out there walking around attached to each other so we know they solved it. Another encouraging thought.” <br/><br/>Credence doesn’t think so but he doesn’t say anything because Percy’s clothes end up on the floor and he thinks he simply won’t be able to say anything at all until this is done and over with. <br/><br/>Percy gets in the shower and Credence’s arm is stretched a little, hanging between them, and occasionally Percy jerks it and curses and apologizes and mutters angrily about his right hand for a while after. <br/><br/>He’s not in there long and once the water is off, he summons a towel and dries in the shower. When he gets out, Credence expects him to have magicked clothes onto himself, and he makes the mistake of peeking and sees Percy’s towel wrapped around his waist and thinks it’s a miracle he doesn’t perish immediately. <br/><br/>Credence tries not to stare but Percy isn’t looking his way, stopped in front of the counter and staring at himself for a while. Credence doesn’t know why, hopes this isn’t part of his usual morning routine, until Percy looks at him and frowns. <br/><br/>“If I go in without shaving I’ll never hear the fucking end of it.” <br/><br/>Credence is slightly relieved, though not by much, because Percy’s still shirtless and he’s lean but muscular enough that Credence knows he must be active. He is, he thinks, chasing down dark wizards and getting into wand battles. <br/><br/>“Aren’t you the boss?” Credence manages to croak out. <br/><br/>“That doesn’t mean I don’t get shit from my subordinates,” Percy says. “Captains at least, everyone else knows better. We’ll forget it for today. Do you want to shower?” <br/><br/>Credence shakes his head quickly. “No, thank you. We have a lot to do today.” <br/><br/>Percy looks like he doesn’t believe that reason in the slightest but he doesn’t say anything. He merely gestures for Credence to follow him back into the bedroom and to his walk-in closet which is filled with more clothes than Credence has ever owned in his entire life. <br/><br/>He thinks Percy is a bit of a dandy when it comes to clothes and his appearance and wonders if that’s because of professionalism or if he’s always been that way. He smiles a little and turns away, squeezing his eyes shut until Percy’s finally, blessedly dressed. <br/><br/>“As for you, Mister Barebone,” Percy says, when Credence looks at him, “you need something warmer than yesterday.” He grabs a coat from one of the hangers and a few other articles of clothing. “Ready?” <br/><br/>“Yes,” Credence says, though he is very much not ready. It feels like being dressed by Ma all over again, except more abruptly and without any rough hands touching him. <br/><br/>It’s the most bizarre feeling in the world to watch his clothes change into the ones Percy is holding, to watch them disappear from his arms, but at least he didn’t have to get undressed. Percy holds off on the coat and once he’s done slicking back his hair in the bathroom, he finally looks as he did yesterday, which is bad for Credence, but not nearly as bad as seeing his damp hair hanging over his forehead while he’s wrapped in a towel and nothing else. <br/><br/>Credence thinks he’s not going to make it through this. None of this had occurred to him yesterday, not even when Percy mentioned showering, and he feels like an idiot for not realizing all that is going to be involved with being stuck to a person for days at a time. <br/><br/>They eat breakfast and floo into Percy’s office in MACUSA shortly after, before Credence can get worked up about it. <br/><br/>Percy looks at his mail before they leave the office and Aurors stare at them even more today until Captain Fontaine tells them to mind their business and walks up to them. Percy takes him further aside and holds his hand up when Fontaine opens his mouth. <br/><br/>“Mister Barebone will likely be with me for a few days,” he says. “As soon as I’m done sorting out Scamander, I’m taking the rest of the day and the next couple at least.” <br/><br/>Fontaine raises his eyebrows and crosses his arms over his chest. “What the hell is going on? Late night?” he asks with a smirk. <br/><br/>Credence blushes but Percy only sighs. <br/><br/>“You ever heard of a magical bond?” <br/><br/>“No. Should I have?” <br/><br/>“Yes,” Percy says, though Credence knows he had no clue what it was either, “Mister Barebone and I are stuck at the hip, so to speak, and have to find a way to undo it. I will not be available to assist so you’ve got run of the place.” <br/><br/>Fontaine narrows his eyes suspiciously and looks down at where Credence is gripping Percy’s coat. He raises an eyebrow when he looks at Percy, who merely shakes his head and rubs his temples. <br/><br/>“Whatever you need,” Fontaine says, though he sounds amused and Credence suspects he’d be saying something else entirely if he wasn’t there. “Barrows had to accompany a magizoologist early this morning to see Scamander and they took him into that suitcase because the animals were getting restless without him there. Using courtroom three for it. Should still be in there.” <br/><br/>“Fantastic,” Percy says. “Have you gone in?” <br/><br/>Fontaine nods and rubs his own temples. “You’re going to love it,” he says. “Scamander’s got a way with the Extension charm. Never seen anything like it before.” <br/><br/>“So he’s brilliant with charms and a fucking moron outside of them.” <br/><br/>“That no-maj is very insistent it was his fault any of it happened.” <br/><br/>“Thick as thieves, aren’t they?” <br/><br/>“I can see why after being in that place,” Fontaine says dryly. “As illegal as it is.” <br/><br/>Percy raises an eyebrow. “Enough to impress you, Fontaine, that’s unusual,” he says. “I’ll be back up when I’m done.” <br/><br/>“What’re you thinking, Percy?” <br/><br/>“Still working that out,” Percy says as he gestures for Credence to follow. “We’ll discuss it with Sera before I head out.” <br/><br/>Credence follows Percy out of the Auror department and down the quiet hall. “Who’s Sera?” he asks. “Is she another Captain?” <br/><br/>Percy chuckles. “No,” he says. “She’s the President of MACUSA. Don’t worry, Mister Barebone,” he adds when Credence grimaces, “she doesn’t bite. But she’ll want a say in this and Mister Scamander’s fate.” <br/><br/>“I suppose he’s caused a bit of a mess,” Credence says. He still feels sorry for Mister Scamander but he doesn’t think that Percy would particularly care. “Where are the courtrooms?” <br/><br/>“Just above the floor where Scamander and Kowalski are being held,” Percy says as they walk to the lift. He looks at Credence and smiles. “I’m sorry to have to drag you along for this.” <br/><br/>“I kind of want to see the suitcase,” Credence says and looks down at the floor. “It sounds interesting.” <br/><br/>“If it’s dangerous, it’ll be a quick look,” Percy says. They step onto the lift when the doors open and Percy greets Red, telling him to take them down to the courtrooms. <br/><br/>Credence bites his lip as the lift moves swiftly downward and glances at Percy occasionally. <br/><br/>He thinks about Twycross and what she had said about magical bonds. Sometimes between family, friends and sometimes more than that. Credence is terrified to think of <em> more than that, </em> but he can’t help it. <br/><br/>If they’re supposed to find their way out of this with truth, acceptance, support and understanding, Credence isn’t sure what that means if it’s not the honest truth. What truth would he even have to tell beyond the way Percy makes him feel? Percy already knows the truth of the church and his mother and Credence has no other secrets to hide. <br/><br/>If that is Credence’s side to things, then what’s Percy’s? <br/><br/>Of course Credence doesn’t understand much of anything yet, so he knows he could be wrong about everything, and that this might only mean they’re meant to be friends. <br/><br/>Why magic would choose that for them is something that’s beyond him. <br/><br/>They get off the lift and the halls are wider here but still dark and intimidating. There are a few witches and wizards wandering around and they nod briskly to Percy or murmur <em> Director Graves, </em> without much of a glance at Credence. He’s glad for it, because he’s still clutching Percy’s sleeve. <br/><br/>They turn down a hall and walk to large double doors and Percy pushes them open. When they step inside, Credence is surprised to see numerous witches and wizards in here as well. There are boards that are hanging in the room as if by nothing and pinned to them looks to be a wealth of information about magical creatures. <br/><br/>“Magizoologists,” Percy says. “Some of them probably haven’t seen some of what Mister Scamander has in this suitcase of his.” <br/><br/>The suitcase is sitting in the middle of the room and Credence can see there is an odd, shimmering dome over it, clearly magic, and he frowns as they approach it. When Percy kneels over the suitcase, he goes right through the magic like it isn’t there, so it must not be harmful. He peers down into the suitcase and shakes his head. <br/><br/>“Going to have to expand it to get us both in,” Percy mutters and stands up. <br/><br/>“Truly unbelievable, Director Graves, what he’s managed to accomplish,” an older gentleman with wiry and unbrushed white hair says. “Something we could only dream of.” <br/><br/>Percy doesn’t look too pleased. “What are your thoughts on the animals themselves, Mister Nettle?” <br/><br/>Mister Nettle shakes his head. “Remarkable animals, really, and the bond he’s created with them is quite something. The Nundu alone is very fond of him. Huge, she is, and he only told her not to bother anyone and she hasn’t! Incredible,” he says. “I don’t see why they can’t all be relocated but there’s danger in them losing Mister Scamander as their caretaker. They may revert to being less trustful of us.” <br/><br/>Percy’s pinching the bridge nose and Credence cringes a little, to hear Mister Scamander does indeed have a Nundu. He doesn’t know what on earth it is but it’s clearly nothing good. At least according to Percy. <br/><br/>“What’s your recommendation?” Percy asks and doesn’t look at Mister Nettle, rubbing his temples now. <br/><br/>“He’s broken so many laws but he’s got a good heart,” Mister Nettle says. “Only cares about his creatures. Rather shaken up at the idea that they’ll be taken for him after years of working with them and creating what he has. I don’t think him or the animals will do well if they’re separated.” He shrugs when Percy glares at him. “I’d say permit him to use the suitcase as long as he has routine inspections of it and let him care for these animals. Trying to breed some of them back into existence, you know! We’d thought Graphorns were extinct and he’s successfully bred the last two in there!” <br/><br/>“I cannot guarantee the Ministry of Magic would follow that recommendation,” Percy says. “Because I have a feeling - and am very much in agreement with - the Madam President will be sending him back to England if we don’t put him in prison.” <br/><br/>“Surely a letter of recommendation from my team and me and yourself would sway them,” Mister Nettle says. “I’m sure the magizoologists over there would agree as well, even if Scamander caused nothing but trouble in their department.” <br/><br/>“I’ll write the Ministry and see what they have to say while I think about your recommendation in the meantime,” Percy says and nods his thanks. “Safe to enter?” <br/><br/>“Of course!” Mister Nettle says and strides off. <br/><br/>Percy watches him go and looks at Credence. “Safe has a different definition to magizoologists I’ve found and you might have noticed,” he says darkly. “Ready?” <br/><br/><em> No, </em> Credence thinks wildly, because he’s terrified of whatever a Nundu is, but he nods gamely nevertheless. Percy pats him on the shoulder and pulls out his wand, waving it at the suitcase until it expands to quadruple its size. Credence can see the ladder now and light coming from inside of it and tries not to think about magic allowing for this, because it’ll only confuse him all the more. <br/><br/>Going down the ladder is not a fun experience because although the suitcase was expanded in the courtroom, it’s not the further they go down, and Percy has to aid Credence so they both don’t topple over. <br/><br/>“Going to cut off my arm,” Percy mutters as he looks around the tiny shack-like room. He walks to the open door with Credence and they step out. <br/><br/>Credence gasps. <br/><br/>The suitcase is absolutely massive inside and there are magical creatures everywhere he looks. There are small habitats, trees or a group of boulders, for smaller animals, but there are four huge areas that look to be habitats for some of the other animals. Credence sees what can only be the Erumpent standing at the edge of one habitat gazing at everyone, another silvery barrier blocking her access into the rest of the room. She’s magnificent, with a large horn on her face and a humpback, certainly bigger than a rhinoceros. <br/><br/>It looks like the plains of Africa behind her, extensive and far from small. <br/><br/>“Oh,” Credence whispers and jumps when he sees what looks like a dung beetle that is so big it comes to his waist rolling a large piece of dung by. He looks at Percy, gaping at him. <br/><br/>Percy looks resigned to his fate as he gazes around and looks at Credence. “Mister Scamander may end up the luckiest person in New York after this,” he says and looks over Credence’s shoulders. “Barrows, you mind fucking telling me why the no-maj is here?” <br/><br/>Credence looks around at Captain Barrows, who is nearby talking to who Credence assumes is another magizoologist, and beyond him is Jacob and Mister Scamander, who is handing Jacob a bucket. <br/><br/>Barrows looks at Percy and walks over. “Because Mister Scamander insisted with great fervor that Mister Kowalski’s help was vital in keeping the animals calm,” he says. He smirks when Percy only raises an eyebrow. “I know he was buillshitting me, Percy, but it got him moving because he was refusing to otherwise. Besides, Mister Kowalski is having the time of his life feeding the animals and the magizoologists are following him. They’re getting a lot of good information about some of these creatures that are impossible to find in the wild these days.” <br/><br/>Percy sighs, long and slow, and nods. “Anything of particular note?” <br/><br/>“Nundu and Graphorns are concerning. Thunderbird’s over that way,” Barrows says, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “But none of the animals have been aggressive. Well,” he adds, “mostly.” <br/><br/>“Mostly?” Percy asks dryly. <br/><br/>“Just Pickett,” Mister Scamander says as he approaches them, smiling brightly, no longer handcuffed. He points at his pocket where a little green stick… creature pokes his head out of. “Bit an overeager colleague of mine but he’s very young and I’ve given him a scolding.” <br/><br/>Credence bites his lip because he thinks if Percy caught him grinning he’d label him a traitor or something like it. <br/><br/>“How many do you have in here?” Percy asks, ignoring Mister Scamander otherwise. <br/><br/>Barrows chuckles and walks away to rejoin the magizoologist. <br/><br/>“Oh, there’s an entire colony of Bowtruckles, some dozens—” <br/><br/>“All of the animals together, Mister Scamander.” <br/><br/>“Oh. Some… dozens,” Mister Scamander says slowly and sighs when Percy stares at him expectantly. “Some of them do well in larger herds, so their numbers are increased. Nearly one hundred and seventy, I’d say, but I lost count quite a while ago. I see you two are still stuck together.” <br/><br/>“That’s not any of your concern—” <br/><br/>“In Rio,” Credence says quickly, not feeling too badly about interrupting Percy, “what did they say about magical bonds?” <br/><br/>Mister Scamander raises his eyebrows before crossing his arms and humming in thought. “They did mention that they’re viewed differently in different cultures,” he says. “From my understanding of what they said, they believe it happens when two people are searching for the same thing and their magic sort of… helps them along. Gives them a nudge in the right direction, if you will.” <br/><br/>“By chaining people together with magic so strong it can’t be broken,” Percy says flatly. “And you didn’t bother asking how to break it?” <br/><br/>“Well, I hardly thought I’d ever encounter it,” Mister Scamander says with a frown for Percy, but a smile for Credence. “I assume it breaks once you’ve both realized you’re searching for the same thing and understand that. This was according to Brazilians, it could be interpreted entirely differently in another culture as far as I know.” <br/><br/>Percy sighs. “We shouldn’t be discussing this as is,” he says as he glances around, presumably for anyone listening in. “The Nundu and Graphorns are of particular concern to me, Mister Scamander.” <br/><br/>“Newt Scamander, by the way,” Newt says and offers his hand to Credence. “I thought you must have been a no-maj but you’re clearly not.” <br/><br/>“I just found out yesterday,” Credence says a little feebly and shakes Newt’s hand. “Credence Barebone. I saw your, umm… him!” Credence points. <br/><br/>The white monkey - Demiguise, Credence thinks - is wandering between two witches who observe him curiously, but he sees Credence then and wanders over as if he might recognize him. <br/><br/>“Oh, hello, Dougal. Did you meet Credence yesterday?” Newt asks. <br/><br/>“He gave me a quarter,” Credence says with a smile and raises his eyebrows when Dougal takes his hand, warm and fluffy. <br/><br/>“Dougal’s a good judge of character. A quarter was a mighty gift,” Newt says with some pride. He looks at Percy and coughs a little. “Of course I’m very glad to have him home.” <br/><br/>“Aren’t we all,” Percy says. “Credence, we’re here to work.” <br/><br/>Credence shrugs. “You are,” he says and smiles when Percy squints at him. <br/><br/>“We are unfortunately tied together at the moment,” he says and looks at Newt. “The Nundu and Graphorns, Mister Scamander.” <br/><br/>“She’s very sweet, really, if you don’t hold eye contact for too long,” Newt says. “And the Graphorns are hardly anything to worry about.” <br/><br/>Percy sighs and glances down at Dougal as he touches Percy’s pristinely shined shoes. “To you, perhaps, but not to others. Not to no-majs or wizardkind, if they were to escape. They are known for killing people, often, and they’re nearly impossible to take down.” <br/><br/>“I don’t plan on letting them escape,” Newt says sourly. “I’ve shored up the suitcase and I’ll add extra protections to stop it from happening again. Unfortunately Jacob wasn’t aware of what it contained and opened it and I don’t plan on letting that happen again either.” <br/><br/>“This is if we even allow you to keep it,” Percy reminds him firmly. “And if we do, there will be rules and protocols you have to follow. I am highly aware of your habit of flouting the law and rules alike, but they will be taken away from you if you can’t follow them.” <br/><br/>Newt doesn’t look particularly happy about that but he nods nevertheless. “As long as I get to keep them,” he mutters and looks around as Jacob approaches them. “Ah, Jacob, I’ve finally learned the name of your fellow, former no-maj. Credence Barebone,” he says. “He’s only just found out he’s a wizard yesterday.” <br/><br/>“Really?” Jacob asks with a grin and shakes Credence’s hand. “That’s amazing. Can we find out if I’m one too?” <br/><br/>“Don’t worry, Mister Kowalski, I would’ve sniffed that out,” Percy says. “When I’ve spoken with President Picquery, you’ll be sent home.” <br/><br/>“With no memories, right?” Jacob asks, not smiling anymore. He looks resigned and Credence supposes that Newt told him what to expect. “An awful thing, to not get to remember any of this.” <br/><br/>“A necessary thing,” Percy says. “I’d like to see the Nundu, Graphorns and Thunderbird, Mister Scamander.” <br/><br/>Newt nods and gestures for them to follow as Dougal lets go of Credence’s hand and wanders off. <br/><br/>Credence has no choice but to stay at Percy’s side, but Jacob walks alongside him and Credence looks at him, feeling immensely sorry for him all over again. <br/><br/>“So how did you find out you were actually a wizard?” Jacob asks. “Must’ve been shocking.” <br/><br/>“The bond,” Credence says. “Someone told us it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have magic in my blood. Percy told me most children show magic when they’re young and get letters from a magical school when they’re eleven.” <br/><br/>“Hogwarts, right?” Jacob asks. “Newt was tellin’ me all about Hogwarts. Incredible thing, isn’t it?” <br/><br/>“I think there are many schools,” Credence says and smiles. “It does sound amazing. I wish I could have gone.” <br/><br/>“Why didn’t you get your letter? They didn’t know you were a wizard too?” <br/><br/>“Oh… no, they did,” Credence says slowly. “My mother didn’t want me to go and didn’t tell me I was a wizard.” <br/><br/>Jacob grimaces. “That’s awful,” he says. “I’m sorry you missed out, Credence. But hey, look at you now! Look at <em> us </em> now, though I ain’t no wizard.” He looks up as they stop next to a very large, flat rock, where an incredibly big and frightening… cat of some sort sits. <br/><br/>She’s black with odd spikes along her body, which doesn’t look like it has fur, or it’s very fine if it does. <br/><br/>“See? She’s perfectly friendly. Don’t stare at her for too long,” Newt says. “Graphorns are this way. The female gave birth only a few months ago, lovely and healthy offspring, all very well-behaved.” <br/><br/>They follow him to one of the four habitats and after Newt has made a loud, strange noise that echoes off the sand, stars twinkling above, the Graphorns, in a group of four, come running across the valley. <br/><br/>They’re strange looking, but they do like Newt, clearly, especially the babies, who rub against his legs. Credence watches with a grin and ignores Percy, who looks less and less happy the more they see. <br/><br/>“I’m just hoping I still remember some of it,” Jacob says when Credence looks at him. “That they forget to erase a part of it. It’s sure something, ain’t it? Don’t worry, I’m enjoying it while it lasts.” <br/><br/>Credence smiles and feels guilty again, that someone like Jacob will be forced to forget, while someone like him is lucky enough to remember. <br/><br/>He’s done nothing remarkable to deserve the good things that have been happening to him the last couple of days. There’s still unknowns, still concerns, a few rather big ones, but Percy’s given him a home and freed him from his mother. <br/><br/>That’s more than anyone has ever done for him before and he doesn’t know why he should find his place and Jacob be kicked out of a place he seems to enjoy as much as Credence does. <br/><br/>Frank the Thunderbird is much bigger than Credence had been expecting. He’s beautiful, with numerous wings, golden and silver feathers, and he too is fond of Newt, pressing his beak against him as Newt explains where he found him in Egypt and how he freed him. <br/><br/>Percy listens to him without saying anything, observing Frank and the wounds on him, and he nods when Newt finishes the tale. <br/><br/>“Get back to helping the magizoologists,” Percy says. “Mister Kowalski, join him.” <br/><br/>“Right,” Jacob says and nods at Credence. “Good meetin’ you officially, Credence. Hope you figure out your problem too.” <br/><br/>Credence smiles and watches Jacob follow Newt, who glances back at them a few times as he walks away. Credence sighs and looks up at Frank as he perches on the stones Newt has created for them, looking out over the suitcase and the many animals and people that walk around it. <br/><br/>He looks at Percy, whose arms are crossed over his chest, their bond dangling openly until Credence reaches up to hold his sleeve, and he seems to be lost in thought as he gazes up at Frank. Credence is a bit frightened he may not go with Mister Nettle’s recommendation and that he may take all of this away from Newt. That he may send the animals elsewhere, when they’ve clearly adapted to this place. They’re happy here, Credence thinks, and he doesn’t know anything about magical creatures. <br/><br/>“What’re you thinking about?” Credence asks. He thinks he’s crossing some sort of line asking, something he’s never asked anyone before out of fear, but when Percy looks at him, he isn’t angry. <br/><br/>“The nightmare this is,” Percy says and smiles wryly. “I know it doesn’t seem like one, but this existing risks our exposure. Yesterday was a good example of that.” <br/><br/>“But Mister Scamander said he won’t let that happen again,” Credence says. “And you wouldn’t either.” <br/><br/>“I wouldn’t,” Percy agrees, “but I’m not going to be responsible if Sera wants to send him packing back to England. Mister Scamander has a bad habit of using no-maj ways to travel so he doesn’t have to present his suitcase to a wizard when crossing borders. I’m concerned he’ll continue with that habit and we won’t know where he is and this happens again.” <br/><br/>Credence supposes he can understand that. “Can’t that be one of the rules you put in place if you allow him to keep it? If they do in Britain too?” <br/><br/>Percy shrugs. “Sure,” he says. “But Mister Scamander isn’t going to stop breaking the law or forgetting about the rules because of this. Just the type of person he is.” <br/><br/>“I think he might take it seriously after all of this,” Credence says as he glances around. “That he almost lost them because he broke the law.” <br/><br/>“Possibly,” Percy says but he doesn’t look like he believes it. “Either way, once he’s back in Britain, if that’s what Sera wants, he’s not my headache anymore.” <br/><br/>Credence bites his lip and watches Percy as he looks up at Frank. “Are you going to at least let him take Frank back to Arizona?” <br/><br/>“It might be safer that way,” Percy says with some distaste. “Send him packing after that.” He sighs and looks at Credence and frowns. “Are you alright, Credence?” <br/><br/>“Mhmm,” Credence hums and smiles. “I wish I could stay here all day.” <br/><br/>Percy chuckles. “It might drive me to tears, the more I see of it,” he says and gestures. “Come on, we need to visit the President and go home after to figure out our own mystery.” <br/><br/>Credence nods and walks alongside Percy, looking around and taking in as much as he can as he thinks about that. <br/><br/>Something they’re both searching for. Credence has been searching for a place he belongs, or at least hoping he might find it someday, never really believing he would, and he’s been given a home, he’s been given a world he belongs to. He doesn’t think Percy is searching for either of those things himself and that might be why they’re still connected. <br/><br/>He doesn’t know what Percy might be searching for but he supposes he could find out today. <br/><br/>Credence doesn’t want to leave this place, this magical place that seems to impress just about everyone but Percy, and thinks he’s lucky he even got to experience it at all. <br/><br/>But they get up the ladder and back into the courtroom and Credence sighs as they walk through it, glancing back at the suitcase, and doesn’t think he’ll ever be inside of it again. He’ll see Newt, he thinks, but not Jacob. It does dampen his spirits but he’s well used to that and only smiles whenever Percy looks at him as they take the lift and walk a long hall on what must be the top floor of MACUSA. <br/><br/>They approach two massive purple doors, a man on either side of one, both of whom nod at Percy, and one opens the door to allow them inside. <br/><br/>Credence thinks Percy must work closely with the President if he doesn’t even have to bother knocking. <br/><br/>The room is large, filled with more comforts than Percy’s office, and the desk that the President sits at is a handsome mahogany thing, a huge clock hanging above it, ticking silently. <br/><br/>President Picquery is a beautiful woman with dark skin and blonde hair and she looks up at Percy as they approach her desk, raising an eyebrow when she glances at Credence. <br/><br/>“Sera,” Percy says. “I have numerous problems.” <br/><br/>“Well, I knew that a long time ago,” Sera says and smiles. “The Scamander situation and…?” <br/><br/>“Credence Barebone,” Percy says and gestures at Sera. “President Seraphina Picquery.” He gestures for Credence to sit in one of the armchairs. <br/><br/>Credence does so, feeling nervous and not quite sure what to say, but the armchairs are separated just enough that he can’t cling to Percy’s sleeve. Not that it matters, because Percy lifts his arm to show Sera the magical bond and her eyebrows shoot up. <br/><br/>“What in Merlin’s name have you done now?” <br/><br/>“Not familiar to you either then,” Percy says with some sort of vindictiveness. “Mister Barebone here came across a couple of Mister Scamander’s creatures yesterday and I was interviewing him. This happened to us when I touched his hand.” <br/><br/>Sera looks between them, focusing on Credence for a while, before she turns back to Percy. “Have you been dragging a no-maj along with you since yesterday?” <br/><br/>“I’m a wizard,” Credence says and blushes when she looks at him, her eyebrows raised even further. “I found out yesterday.” <br/><br/>“Spoke to Twycross,” Percy says sourly. “I think I was in denial, but this can only happen between witches and wizards.” <br/><br/>“What is it?” Sera asks curiously. “She obviously couldn’t get it off. My apologies, Mister Barebone, Percival Graves is the last person on earth anyone should want to be imprisoned to.” <br/><br/>Credence blushes more and he’s taken aback by that rudeness but Sera only smirks when Percy glares at her. <br/><br/>“Anyway,” Percy says pointedly. “No, she couldn’t. She only told us what it was and I’ve been reasonably well assured it’s not dangerous by the CB department. Mister Scamander had ideas of his own. The man in my custody, Sera, is giving us advice,” he adds. “I know where I lean in regards to Mister Scamander but I need to take a few days off to figure this out.” <br/><br/>“Of course,” Sera says. “And to acclimate Mister Barebone into our world, I imagine. How old are you, Mister Barebone?” <br/><br/>“Twenty-seven,” Credence says and shrugs helplessly. “My mother doesn’t… she would, umm…” <br/><br/>“She would have been very happy to be alive in colonial Massachusetts,” Percy says and nods when Sera grimaces. “She’s responsible for that church that preaches about witches and their evildoing.” <br/><br/>“Barebone,” Sera says and frowns at Credence for a while. “How do you feel about this then, Mister Barebone?” <br/><br/>Credence sits up straighter. “I don’t share my mother’s views, Madam President,” he says hastily. “I’m glad to find where I belong now. It was frightening for a while yesterday but Percy has helped.” <br/><br/>“I imagine he has,” Sera says with a vague sort of smile as she glances at Percy. “What have you learned about this so far?” <br/><br/>Percy shrugs. “We have to work together to get it off,” he says. “Through some mutual understanding. Still trying to piece that together but I have ideas.” He sighs and rubs his temples again. “Credence has been handling all of this relatively well considering we’re in the middle of a nightmare thanks to Mister Scamander.” <br/><br/>“He’s certainly causing me a headache,” Sera agrees but she’s still smiling. “Welcome home, as it is, Credence. I’m sorry that we’re only finding you now. A shame.” She hums in thought and looks at Percy. “And the Mister Scamander situation?” <br/><br/>“Nettle’s recommending we let him keep the suitcase under strict rules with protocols set in place. I’m only leaning into it because the animals are comfortable with Scamander and what he’s created are rich environments for them. Just need to make sure he doesn’t switch his suitcase with another fucking no-maj. If you agree, I’ll write the Ministry and see if I can get them to agree to it as well.” <br/><br/>Sera narrows her eyes as she folds her hands together and is quiet for a while. “Mister Scamander has shown a rather bold and flagrant disregard for the law. For rules and protocol. Expelled from Hogwarts because of it, even.” <br/><br/>“Yes,” Percy agrees. “But unfortunately he does it because he believes what he’s doing is right and from what I can see, barring the Hogwarts issue, he’s not far off. Just doesn’t agree with how our departments handle magical creatures.” <br/><br/>“And he’s brought numerous no-majs into it. One of which is still downstairs,” Sera says dryly. “The amount of Obliviations alone yesterday.” She rubs her temples just like Percy does. “I am very tempted to send Mister Scamander back to England and let the Ministry sort him out.” <br/><br/>“Entirely possible that they’ll view his suitcase in a different way. Seizure of the animals and different placements for them. Euthanasia for a few, I imagine. We already know they get restless without his care,” Percy says. “He’s done hard work for years and is attempting to save a few thought to be extinct animals. Successfully breeding them, even.” <br/><br/>Sera sighs and leans back in her chair as she peers at Percy. “You like him,” she says. “You might want to curse him, but you like him.” <br/><br/>Credence frowns and looks at Percy, who only smirks. <br/><br/>“I do,” he says. “And I’d love to curse him. But I’m willing to give him the chance to make sure this doesn’t happen again and to continue his work.” <br/><br/>“Then we’ll keep him here for a while,” Sera says tiredly. “Under strict observation. I want every single one of those animals catalogued and frequent inspections to make sure they all remain there. We’ll get on the same page with the Minister in regards to Mister Scamander and once we are, I’ll give him the choice to go back to England then.” <br/><br/>Credence smiles, unable to help it, and looks at Percy, who nods shortly at Sera. <br/><br/>“Then we’re in agreement,” he says and looks at Credence with a smirk. “Such a rare thing.” <br/><br/>“You are ornery,” Credence says and is a little embarrassed that he does, but it makes Sera laugh. She laughs not like a poised President but like a friend who is delighted to hear another friend called names. <br/><br/>“Ornery,” Percy says dryly. “Thank you, Credence, that’s very sweet. Alright, come on, before you two become friends. That’s the last thing I need. We’re out of here, Sera, don’t contact me unless the world is burning.” <br/><br/>“Good luck,” Sera says with a smile. “It was good to meet you, Credence. I imagine we’ll be seeing each other again.” <br/><br/>“Oh,” Credence says breathlessly, still embarrassed, “it was nice to meet you too, Madam President. Thank you.” <br/><br/>He stands when Percy does and Percy salutes Sera before he’s striding off to the doors, leaving Credence to grab his sleeve so he’s not left behind. He’s going to tell Percy to slow down soon, but then maybe he won’t have to, if they only stay in the apartment and figure out the magical bond. <br/><br/>They leave Sera’s office and walk down the quiet hall. <br/><br/>“She was very nice,” Credence says. <br/><br/>“Only because you called me Percy,” Percy says with some amusement. <br/><br/>“Oh,” Credence says and grimaces. “Oh, I’m sorry, if I shouldn’t have.” <br/><br/>“It’s fine, Credence,” Percy chuckles. “Only the people I trust most call me that and she knows it. We’ve known each other since our first year in Ilvermorny. Grew up together and worked up the government ladder together.” <br/><br/>Credence is surprised by that and smiles. “So Sera is responsible for wizardkind and you’re responsible for wizardkinds’ safety,” he says. “Are you the two most important people in America?” <br/><br/>“In the wizarding government, maybe,” Percy says with a smirk. “There are many enemies to be had for us both. Actors and singers make it out better.” He winks at Credence. <br/><br/>Credence thinks that Sera’s enemies are probably more political than Percy’s, who are more evildoers, and tries not to think about it beyond that. He only smiles as they make their way to the lift. <br/><br/>Once they’ve gotten back to the Auror department and Percy has shared a lot of commiserating over the situation Newt and Jacob have caused with Mister Fontaine, along with a lot of swearing, Percy leaves him in charge and they move into his office. Percy locks it up and they use the fireplace to get back to his apartment. <br/><br/>After a few more awkward moments spent in the bathroom and Percy getting into more comfortable clothes, they eat lunch at the table. It’ll be strange spending more time in the apartment but Credence is glad for it either way, as much as he’d like to see the suitcase again. <br/><br/>“What did you think about what Mister Scamander said?” Credence asks after a while. “About the magical bond being about people searching for the same thing?” <br/><br/>Percy takes a drink of his whiskey and sets it aside. “I have a lot of thoughts about what Scamander said and what Twycross said,” he says and looks at Credence with a sigh. “Is there anything that stands out to you?” <br/><br/>Credence frowns. “I don’t know,” he says. “I was always hoping I’d find somewhere I’d belong and I have now. That’s the only thing I think I was ever searching for but you already have your place here and have your whole life.” <br/><br/>“I don’t think it has anything to do with you finding your place in the wizarding world, as glad as I am that you have,” Percy says with a faint smile. “You never wanted anything more than a place to belong?” <br/><br/>Credence shrugs and looks down at his hands. Of course he has, but he can’t tell Percy that. “I thought if I found that everything else would probably come together. Things I never was searching for,” he says. “What about you?” <br/><br/>“I have been singularly focused on my job for the past nineteen years,” Percy says. “Gave up on searching for anything but the next promotion a long time ago.” <br/><br/>Credence looks at Percy, his heart racing, and wonders if Percy is thinking the same thing. Searching for someone to share something meaningful with, whether that’s friendship or more. But Percy seems to have friends, good friends, and Credence doubts he’s looking for more of those. <br/><br/>Percy and Credence aren’t family either and the idea that Percy might be looking for family instead of friends or romantic love makes him feel a little ill. <br/><br/>“You and I have a few things in common, Credence,” Percy says when Credence can’t find his voice. “Truth, acceptance, support and understanding. I think we both missed out on those things for a long time.” <br/><br/>Credence furrows his brow. “Because of my mother,” he says and frowns when Percy nods. “Yours too?” <br/><br/>Percy smiles wryly. “My father. My mother didn’t make it any easier but the worst of it came from him,” he says. “I understand the pain of a parent that would rather hurt you than nurture you. I’m sorry either of us had to experience that but we missed out on those things. Whether we consciously think about it or not, I’m sure we’re both searching for them.” <br/><br/>Credence’s head is spinning at the mere idea of Percy having experienced anything like he has. It might have been a long time ago for Percy and only days for Credence, as far as physical punishments went, but Credence knows the scars will stay. He knew that a long time ago, more than just the scars on his back. <br/><br/>It makes something ache inside of him to know Percy carries something of the same. <br/><br/>“So you think we’re both looking for those things,” Credence says. “And we’re supposed to find them together?” He’s a little relieved then, because those things can certainly still be found in friendship. <br/><br/>It doesn’t have to mean that Credence is wicked. He knows what he feels, what he’s thought about when it comes to Percy, and if hell is real, he’ll probably burn one day because of it, but Percy wouldn’t have to know that about him. <br/><br/>“If what we’ve been told is accurate,” Percy says. “Twycross did say it’s a personal matter between the two this happens to. Different in some way.” <br/><br/>“You did say you and I are destined to be friends,” Credence says with a smile. “Maybe we’re supposed to bond over terrible parents.” <br/><br/>Percy chuckles. “And I’m sure we will,” he says. “I did find those things in Sera. Sera’s family. I missed out on it with my own family but I did - and still do - experience them.” <br/><br/>“That can be different between people,” Credence says. “Our friendship would be different than your friendship with Sera.” <br/><br/>“It would,” Percy says with a smile. “Come on, let’s go sit on the sofa.” <br/><br/>With a wave of his hand, the dishes and glasses zoom off into the kitchen and clean themselves. Credence follows Percy into the living room and sits with him on the sofa, looking at the pearlescent bond around his wrist. He looks up at Percy, who is lost in thought again, his eyebrows knitted together. <br/><br/>Credence feels a familiar ache in his chest, entirely different from the earlier one, and looks down at his hand. <br/><br/>“I’ve been in love a couple of times,” Percy says and Credence quickly looks at him. <br/><br/>He wasn’t expecting that to come out of Percy’s mouth and it puts him on edge, the direction Percy’s thoughts are clearly headed in. <br/><br/>“Oh,” Credence says, because he isn’t sure how to respond to that. “How… how long ago?” <br/><br/>“I was eighteen the first time,” Percy says and smiles wryly again. “Thought I knew what being in love meant. Turns out I didn’t. I was selfish and cared more about Auror training than maintaining the relationship. We’d gotten together in our last year at school and halfway through Auror training it was done. I didn’t think of it as much of a loss and it took me a while to realize there had been a second party involved that probably did.” <br/><br/>Credence watches Percy and feels dread and hope and sadness too, for the way it went for Percy and the one who loved him. “Eighteen is really young,” he says. “We all make mistakes then.” <br/><br/>“We do,” Percy agrees. “Took me an especially long time to learn from those mistakes. The second time I was in love I was twenty-two. Fellow MACUSA employee and that was my first mistake with that relationship and why I refuse to see anyone who works at MACUSA now.” <br/><br/>“An Auror?” <br/><br/>“No,” Percy says. “Protective Services. I have to work with that department often due to the nature of my job. Fell in love too fast and when I was promoted to senior Auror, I brushed off concerns about the very real possibility I could end up dead any day I went into work. Told them if they couldn’t handle it, they could walk. Can you believe I was shocked when they did?” He smiles bitterly. “Sera says I didn’t grow up until I became Captain and looked out at my junior Aurors, eighteen to early twenties, and realized how young they all really were. She’s not wrong.” <br/><br/>“How old were you then?” Credence asks quietly. <br/><br/>“Twenty-seven,” Percy says with a smile. “You are infinitely more wise than I was at your age, just starting to learn these things. And I’ve learned a lot in the last nine years. It’s also why I stopped looking for love.” <br/><br/>Credence thinks he might faint. He’s feeling light-headed and his heart is racing so uncomfortably that he tightens his grip on the sofa. He doesn’t know if Percy is going to suggest love might happen between them, but if he does, Credence knows it’ll be a disaster. <br/><br/>He can’t bring himself to think of Percy as wicked the way he thinks of himself as that. But he doesn’t understand why their magic would do this to them, considering they are both men. <br/><br/>“But… but if you realized your mistakes, if you knew how to be better, why’d you stop looking for it?” Credence asks, his voice sounding far away and he realizes Percy is peering at him with some concern. Credence smiles and it seems to give Percy the permission he’s looking for to go on. <br/><br/>“The lack of time I have for it is still an issue for me,” Percy says. “Though I suppose one that can only be fixed by me. I don’t want to fall in love with someone who asks me to quit my job either, even if it’s safer these days than it used to be. I never wanted to get in another relationship with someone who knew the risks at the beginning and still asked me to change it later, when I’m already in love with them. But mostly it has to do with how busy I am. I stopped looking because I didn’t have the time and I didn’t want to make the time for it either. That doesn’t mean I haven’t hoped it might find me anyway.” <br/><br/>“Percy,” Credence says quietly and swallows. He brushes off his forehead and looks anywhere but at Percy. “How do you… why do you think that’s what this means for us?” <br/><br/>“Credence, it’s alright,” Percy says gently. He doesn’t touch Credence and Credence is glad for it. “I don’t know if that’s what this means. But I do know that Unspeakables like Twycross study love and that she’s familiar with this bond because of it. I know I haven’t been searching for friendship, not in the way this has been described. This is what I think it means for me. If it means something else for you, we can explore that too. See if we can find common ground.” <br/><br/>Credence bites his lip and stares down at his knees. “I don’t know what it means for me,” he says. “You… you talk about it like it would be okay. If it meant love.” <br/><br/>Percy is quiet for a while. “I’m not sure why it wouldn’t be,” he finally says. “Why wouldn’t it be for you, Credence?” <br/><br/>“Percy,” Credence says and he’s frustrated. His nerves are frayed and he feels stretched thin by this conversation but he meets Percy’s eyes. “Percy, I’m… I’m a man.” <br/><br/>Percy stares at Credence and looks genuinely lost for a long moment before something seems to dawn on him. He sighs and digs his fingers into his eyes. “Fucking no-majs,” he mutters and looks at Credence. He looks immensely tired suddenly. “I’m sorry, Credence, I should have thought about this. It’s not thought of the same way in our world as it is in the no-maj one.” <br/><br/>Credence furrows his brow. “What do you mean?” he asks warily, because he refuses to feel any hope. <br/><br/>“I mean that no-majs are ass backwards on a number of things. Christianity ruined the world in a lot of ways, but that’s for another day,” Percy says irritably. “They burned people for the same reason they say a man that loves another man is sinful. Because they’re afraid and were taught to be afraid of natural things. Someone decided it made them uncomfortable one day and now no-majs risk prison if they fall in love with the wrong person. We don’t view it like that. It’s done openly in the wizarding world and without prejudice, except for no-maj-born children who grow out of it very quickly once they get to Ilvermorny,” he adds with a huff of a laugh. “There’s nothing sinful or wicked about loving someone. Love is one of the purest things in the world to feel.” <br/><br/>Credence stares at Percy for a long while. His heart feels like it may simply explode and he reaches up to rub at his chest, because it hurts. <br/><br/>It’s so different from everything he’s ever been taught. Everything Ma taught him and Credence knows she’s evil, knows that she’s wrong about many things, but she was right about witches existing. But wrong about who they are, normal people living normal lives, as human as she is. <br/><br/>“But…” Credence trails off and finds he doesn’t know what to argue against. He looks at Percy and shakes his head. “When I was… when I was fourteen, there was a boy who came to the church. I liked him and I knew it was sinful to. I didn’t even speak to him anymore than usual but I think Ma saw it in me anyway. She’s told me how wicked I am for impure thoughts about men ever since.” <br/><br/>Percy looks angry as he gazes at Credence but it softens as quickly as it had come and he moves his hand to Credence’s knee, squeezing it. “I think there’s a lot for you to unlearn, Credence,” he says. “I’ll tell you you’re not wicked or sinful every day until you start believing it. Try not to put so much belief in your mother’s words. If she wanted the best for you, she never would have laid a hand on you.” <br/><br/>Credence looks down at his lap, then at Percy’s hand over his knee. He moves his own hand to lay over it, feeling Percy’s warm skin, the magical bonds wrapped around their wrists pressed together. He sniffs and nods. <br/><br/>“I didn’t believe her about some things,” he says. “But the Bible and the law says it’s sinful and I’ve heard the way people talk about it. I’ve heard the way men who… enjoy other men talk about it even.” <br/><br/>“That’s unfortunate,” Percy sighs. “No-majs view a lot of things differently, Credence. You belong here for more than one reason.” <br/><br/>Credence sniffles and looks at Percy, tearful, but he smiles. “I think it might take me a while,” he says. “But what if that still doesn’t solve this?” <br/><br/>Percy smiles. “We’ll figure out what does,” he says. “I’m not asking you to do anything more than try and make the apartment home and to accept that the wizarding world is where you belong. We can keep looking for other things this might mean.” <br/><br/>He feels a little foolish then. Credence thinks Percy was aware of what this meant when Twycross told him what it was, but he’s either been coming to terms with it or has been in denial about that too. Or maybe he was trying to figure out how Credence might react to it. <br/><br/>They only met yesterday, but what else could it possibly mean, if Percy looks at men the same way Credence does? If Percy was hoping love might find him someday and so was Credence, even if he always tried to pray for forgiveness for the thought? Credence has always thought he was wicked for the thought of wanting a man to love him someday. To tell him the truth, to accept him, to support and understand him. <br/><br/>He’s tried to push that away for a very long time, though he knew he looked at boys differently than girls when he was nine years old. <br/><br/>It’s been a long, long time of living life in denial and fear and pain. <br/><br/>So many years of it, he thinks, the same way he thought it yesterday, and all because of his mother. <br/><br/>“I don’t think it’ll mean anything else,” Credence says softly. “I think I was hoping it might find me someday too. I guess that means we were both looking for it even if we weren’t actively doing it.” <br/><br/>Percy turns his hand until their fingers intertwine. “It doesn’t have to mean we leap into anything. Let’s figure out getting you used to magic first,” he says. “So you can use it yourself one day.” <br/><br/>“You can’t be chained to me for months, Percy,” Credence says with a smile as he looks at their hands. Such a little thing, but it feels better than he thinks anything else has. “I still want to make sure this comes off soon so you can work.” <br/><br/>“Well, apparently the conversation didn’t do it,” Percy says dryly. “But I did take a few days off. We’ll spend them here but eventually we’re going to have to go shopping.” <br/><br/>“For groceries?” <br/><br/>“No,” Percy laughs. “I can multiply what I have or get food delivered. Clothes for you, preferably. Other things you might want too. Anything you might want.” <br/><br/>Credence’s cheeks feel warm and he looks at Percy with a smile. “Clothes would be nice,” he says. “I feel strange in your clothes.” <br/><br/>“Do you?” Percy chuckles. “I think you look pretty good in them.” <br/><br/>Credence’s cheeks are hot now and his palms feel sweaty, which makes him regret holding Percy’s hand. “I don’t know about that,” he mumbles. “I’ve never worn clothes like this before.” <br/><br/>“Well, get used to them, because we’ll be going to my tailor,” Percy says with amusement, squeezing Credence’s hand. “Don’t give me that look, I don’t shop anywhere else.” <br/><br/>Credence sighs and leans back against the sofa, feeling wrung out now. “Fine,” he says and smiles, unable to put a stop to it when he looks at Percy. “I don’t have to get a wand right away, do I?” <br/><br/>“Whenever you’re ready,” Percy says. “Which will likely be sooner than you think once you get used to everyday magic.” <br/><br/>“Is it dangerous?” <br/><br/>“Yes,” Percy says and smirks. “But I’m not going to let you harm yourself, Credence. We’ll ease into it like everything else.” <br/><br/>Credence nods and bites his lip. “Okay,” he says, because he’s fairly sure Percy is probably one of the most competent wizards around. “You know, wizards have some things backwards too.” <br/><br/>“Oh? Like what?” <br/><br/>“Not being able to have a no-maj friend who knows you’re a wizard.” <br/><br/>Percy sighs and raises an eyebrow. “Are you referring to Mister Kowalski?” <br/><br/>Credence shrugs. “It seems like a very sad thing to have to watch your friend forget he ever even knew you.” <br/><br/>“They only met yesterday, Credence.” <br/><br/>“So did we.” <br/><br/>Percy’s rubbing his temples again. “If I don’t follow the law, I can’t expect anyone else to,” he says. “It’s the way it has to be.” <br/><br/>“Hmm,” Credence hums. “That’s too bad. It must be as terrible losing a friend because he’s a no-maj whose level of trustworthiness someone is assuming as it is losing a friend because of your mother's assumptions about his level of wickedness.” <br/><br/>“Alright,” Percy sighs. “That’s about enough manipulation for a Tuesday afternoon.” <br/><br/>“It’s just the truth,” Credence says and smiles when Percy narrows his eyes. “Can’t you use a spell to swear him to secrecy?” <br/><br/>“No,” Percy laughs, a little helplessly. “There’s one spell designed for it and it’s a nasty one.” <br/><br/>“Why?” Credence asks curiously. <br/><br/>Percy shrugs. “Because any vow you make during the spell that you break later causes your instant death,” he says. “That might be a worse thing to do to Mister Kowalski than altering his memory.” <br/><br/>Credence grimaces. He thinks there are going to be a lot of frightening things about the wizarding world, but not anything he’ll ever come across, he’s sure. It’s disturbing enough to know such a spell exists. <br/><br/>“So maybe not that,” Credence says and grins when Percy gives him a long look. “It’s going to make me sad, you know.” <br/><br/>“I’m sure you’ll get over it.” <br/><br/>“Maybe. But I’ll probably hold it against you forever,” Credence says. “That’s not a good start for us, you know.” <br/><br/>Percy smiles as he gazes at Credence. “Half of the people in Attermarc prison are holding lifelong grudges against me, let alone all the ones who are already out. Threaten me with something more substantial.” <br/><br/>“Well, I don’t want to leap into anything,” Credence says. “But I thought about asking you to kiss me good night. Now I think I’ll never let you.” <br/><br/>Percy hisses. “Now that is a terrible thought,” he says. “To never be able to kiss you. Especially good night kisses, those are some of the best ones. So I suppose the question is, is kissing you worth Sera potentially busting my balls for the rest of my life over Mister Kowalski and his intact memory?” <br/><br/>Credence grins. “Is it?” <br/><br/>“Fuck yes it is,” Percy says. “And I’m going to kiss you now, rather than tonight, if you don’t mind.” <br/><br/>“I think that’s probably fair,” Credence says and though he’s blushing hotly and is wildly nervous, there’s an immense thrill that goes through him to see Percy lean close. <br/><br/>Percy moves his hand to Credence’s cheek and he stops just before their lips touch, looking at Credence like he’s making sure it really is okay, and Credence can do nothing but nod. Because it <em> is </em> okay. <br/><br/>He might not always feel that way, he thinks, or he might struggle with it sometimes after, but right now Percy kissing him sounds like the best thing in the world and the best gift he’s ever been given. And he’s already been given some incredible gifts the last twenty-four hours. <br/><br/>Percy’s lips are soft and warm against his own and it’s tender and sweet, the way he kisses Credence, and Credence is not completely new to this, but this is the first time he’s ever truly wanted it or hasn’t been so afraid he ends it early. <br/><br/>He does as Percy does and moves his hand to Percy’s chest when the kiss deepens and realizes that he’s the one that did it. He nearly springs away but Percy doesn’t seem to mind. Seems to enjoy letting Credence lead, actually, the way he moves his hand to the back of Credence’s neck and holds him close. <br/><br/>It’s better than anything Credence has ever felt. Holding hands was wonderful, but this is entirely different, and he doesn’t want to make any leaps, but he thinks he could kiss Percy all day long. <br/><br/>But they do eventually need to breathe. Percy doesn’t move far, kissing Credence’s cheek and jaw and chin until he’s grinning. Grinning because he’s genuinely happy and isn’t that such a new thing to him? <br/><br/>Credence looks at Percy and sees that Percy is smiling, his eyes soft and full of an affection Credence has never seen aimed at him. “Thank you,” he says quietly. “For everything.” <br/><br/>“You’re welcome,” Percy says. “You deserve good things, Credence. If you ever want anything from me, though, you can always just say please.” <br/><br/>“I didn’t think that’d work,” Credence laughs. “Not yet.” <br/><br/>“Not yet, he says,” Percy says while he laughs. “I see how this is going to go. I’m alright with it too, Merlin help us all.” He kisses Credence, a gentle press of his lips against Credence’s before he’s pulling back all too soon. He looks at the portrait above the fireplace, which is empty at the moment. <br/><br/>“Director Graves!” <br/><br/>Credence blinks and frowns as he watches the portrait. The same man that had spoken last night walks into the frame, his walrus-sized moustache taking up a decent portion of it. <br/><br/>“Tell Fontaine to bring Scamander and the no-maj to my office as soon as they’re available.” <br/><br/>“Can never stay away from the office, can you, boy? You get it from me, you know. Outstanding work ethic!” <br/><br/>“Yes, thank you,” Percy says shortly. “Tell Fontaine.” <br/><br/>The man, Director Graves apparently, nods briskly and walks back out of the frame. Credence looks at Percy and raises his eyebrows. <br/><br/>“My ancestor,” Percy says. “Helped found the American Auror department. Was the first of twelve Aurors here and the first Director. I come from a long line of Aurors.” <br/><br/>Credence smiles and shakes his head. “So it was in your blood,” he says. “Did you always want to be an Auror?” <br/><br/>“I did,” Percy says. “My father decided to keep breaking tradition like his grandfather did and run the family businesses. I decided to be like the best of my ancestors and set a goal in mind to become Director of Magical Security.” <br/><br/>“I’m sure they’re happy that you did,” Credence says. “Or he is anyway.” <br/><br/>“His portrait sits in the Director’s office no matter who sits in the chair. I’m sure Director Wolfs loved hearing all about the Graves’ family line while he was there,” Percy says. “It’s bad enough to listen to him tell me, as if I’m not a part of it.” <br/><br/>Credence laughs. “How did he… how is he a portrait? That’s not where he went when he died, is it?” <br/><br/>Percy laughs, a boyish sort of laugh that makes him look younger. “No. Don’t worry, he’s bones in an Upstate New York cemetery,” he says with a smirk. “I’ll tell you all about portraits and moving pictures this evening.” <br/><br/>Credence doesn’t mind that he’s so far behind when he gets to have Percy tell him about the wizarding world. He smiles and nods and if they kiss for a while after that, well, only Director Graves knows when he comes back soon after. <br/><br/>He tells Percy that Newt and Jacob will be up in twenty minutes and Percy thanks him until he walks out of the frame again. <br/><br/>When Credence looks at Percy with a smile, Percy looks back with some amusement and pulls Credence close to kiss him. They stay like that for a while and Credence barely knows Percy, he’s aware of that, but he’s never felt more safe in all his life. More at home with someone. <br/><br/>He thinks that maybe that comes with being chained together, but he’ll take it all the same. <br/><br/>Percy mutters in annoyance about changing his clothes again because he refuses to be seen in lounge wear at work and once he’s done that, they floo into his office. No one is there yet and they sit behind Percy’s desk. <br/><br/>He grabs a few pieces of mail and Credence thinks he probably rarely does stay away from the office as he watches him tear them open and scour through them. <br/><br/>“Oh, good, Mister Greene has important information to give me again,” Percy says. “He always seems to think of things right around the holidays that might reduce his prison sentence.” <br/><br/>Credence raises his eyebrows. “Do you mean he’s lying?” <br/><br/>“Of course. I had him brought here the first time he said he was willing to name names. Didn’t actually have any names. The next year I sent one of mine to the prison when he said the same thing,” Percy says and smiles wryly. “Always a good idea to check the first couple times. Didn’t have any names then either. We stopped indulging him a few years back.” <br/><br/>“Why would he say that if he’s lying? To waste your time?” <br/><br/>“I think he’s hoping he will actually think of a name to give us by the time we speak to him so he might get out to spend time with his family for the holidays.” <br/><br/>Credence frowns. “How long is his sentence?” <br/><br/>“Thirty years,” Percy says and chuckles when Credence gapes. “Unless he gave me every single name in New York and proof to arrest them all, he’s not getting out anytime soon, even if we reduced his sentence.” <br/><br/>“Why is his sentence so long?” Credence asks with some trepidation. “I can understand wanting to be with his family.” <br/><br/>“Should’ve thought about that before he tortured two wizards for so long it took them months to recover, even with magic,” Percy says darkly. He nods when Credence grimaces. “I don’t particularly care for him missing his family when he changed two other families in a way that sticks for life.” <br/><br/>Credence shivers. “That’s horrible,” he says. “These are the type of people you arrest?” <br/><br/>“Mhmm,” Percy hums and tosses the letter in a trash bin. “Charming, aren’t they?” <br/><br/>Credence thinks for a while as he watches Percy read another piece of mail. “That’s why you like Newt,” he says and smiles when Percy looks at him. “Because he’s not a monster. He wants to do what’s right, that’s what you said.” <br/><br/>“Mister Scamander is a very lucky man,” Percy says. “That’s all I have to say about him.” <br/><br/>“You like Jacob too,” Credence says and grins when Percy scoffs. “The way you liked me before you knew I was a wizard. Well,” he adds hastily when Percy raises his eyebrows, “maybe not the same way.” <br/><br/>Percy chuckles. “You have managed to soften my iron heart,” he says and shakes his head as he balls up the next letter and tosses it into the bin. “Some people have been trying to do that for many years.” <br/><br/>“So I should feel special for doing it in just over a day?” <br/><br/>“You should,” Percy says. “And I should be very, very fearful of what you can do to me in a week.” <br/><br/>Credence grins and ducks his head just before there’s a knock on the door. He looks up when Percy gestures at it and it unlocks. <br/><br/>Mister Fontaine escorts Newt and Jacob inside, unshackled like they were in the suitcase, which Credence thinks is a good thing, if no other Aurors are doing it. They don’t look at them as threats either. Newt and Jacob glance around the office and at Percy and they both look nervous. <br/><br/>Newt is pale and Jacob is sweating, but he looks resigned, likely thinking Percy is going to be ordering his Obliviation soon. Percy gestures at the two chairs across from them and they hesitantly sit down. <br/><br/>Percy stares between them for a while, until Newt looks down at his lap and Jacob looks up at the ceiling, fidgeting with his sleeves. Credence glances at Percy and thinks that this time he is definitely posturing to intimidate. <br/><br/>“Mister Scamander,” Percy finally says. “The President and I have spoken and come to our decision regarding the animals in your suitcase and yourself.” <br/><br/>Newt glances at Percy and nods, looking down and away again. Credence feels for him, the fear of getting bad news. He is so used to that in his own life. Felt it just today even. <br/><br/>“The animals benefit from your care,” Percy says. Newt quickly looks up at him, a faint bit of hope shining in his eyes. “The Director of Magizoology here recommends that you be allowed to continue caring for them. The President and I agree with this. <em> On a few very specific conditions,” </em> he adds sternly when both Newt and Jacob light up. <br/><br/>“Oh, yes. Yes, of course,” Newt says. “Anything.” <br/><br/>“President Picquery and I will be placing strict rules for your continued possession of these animals. Routine inspections that will be both random and by appointment and done often. Lose any of those animals to escape and you lose the suitcase. There will be protocols if you do lose them and you will follow them. This isn’t by word of mouth, I’m getting your signature for this. This is while you’re in America. In the meantime, we’ll be in contact with the Ministry. Mister Nettle and I will write our recommendations for this and if we get the Ministry to agree, I’d advise you to go back to Britain then. If you go before they agree to the terms we’ve come up with, you will likely lose your suitcase. There’s more, Mister Scamander.” <br/><br/>Newt looks like he’s woken up to the best Christmas he’s ever had and he coughs and tries to frown at Percy’s words, but he’s clearly too relieved for it. Credence smiles because he can understand what a loss it might have been to never see the creatures he has gotten so close to. <br/><br/>“If you continue to use no-maj transportation of any kind,” Percy says firmly, “to avoid detection, you will lose the suitcase. There will be an order out at every border you cross and if we find you somewhere you didn’t check into, you will lose the suitcase. Do you understand me?” <br/><br/>“Yes, yes, of course. I do, Director Graves,” Newt says. “As long as I can keep the suitcase, I’d be glad to use wizard transportation again.” <br/><br/>Percy nods shortly. “One toe out of line, Mister Scamander, and you will lose it. I can’t promise you all of the creatures you have in there will have a happy ending if you do,” he says. “Stay in New York so I can keep an eye on you while we talk to the Ministry. The only exception to this is I’ll allow you to go to Arizona to release the Thunderbird but you must be accompanied by some of mine and some of Mister Nettle’s.” <br/><br/>“That is… that sounds perfectly fair,” Newt says with a smile. “I’ll be on my best behavior and no other creatures shall get loose. I do understand the risk of exposure if they do and I’ll sign whatever you give me.” <br/><br/>Percy narrows his eyes as he observes Newt for a while. He nods and leans forward to fold his hands on his desk as he looks at Jacob. <br/><br/>“As for you, Mister Kowalski,” he says, “there’s no need for you to remain in MACUSA any longer.” <br/><br/>Jacob swallows and nods. When Newt looks at him with a frown, he waves his hand dismissively. “I’ll be fine. No worries. Might have lost my job, but that’s okay. I’ll find a new one,” he says, his voice a little higher than usual. <br/><br/>“I’m letting you walk out of here with your memories intact, Mister Kowalski,” Percy says flatly. <br/><br/>Jacob blinks a few times and lifts his finger in the air before slowly lowering it. “Wait… what? What do you mean? You’re not gonna make me forget all of this?” he asks, gesturing around the room. <br/><br/>Newt looks as surprised as Jacob, his eyebrows near his hairline. <br/><br/>“I am not,” Percy says with some grudging. <em> “On a few very specific conditions. </em> You are to tell no one of this. Not a single soul. Wizard or no-maj alike. We risk exposure letting you walk out of here remembering the wizarding world. We have been in hiding for millennia. Do you understand me?” <br/><br/>Jacob nods quickly. <br/><br/><em> “Millennia, </em> Mister Kowalski,” Percy says, his voice rising. “If you speak about this to anyone but Mister Scamander, I will find you and I will erase all of it. Exposure means death for us and I am highly reluctant to risk that for you, but here I am. If you decide to tell your best friend all about this and they tell others and so on, you risk the injury or death of both wizard and no-maj. <em> Do you understand me?” </em> <br/><br/>Jacob’s mouth is hanging open but he nods quickly again. “Yes, sir, Director Graves, I do. I ain’t got nobody to tell,” he says and shrugs. “No best friend. My grandma’s dead, so she won’t be telling nobody either.” <br/><br/>Credence bites his lip and covers his mouth because he thinks Percy will glare at him if he grins and he thinks he’s right, because he’s glaring between Jacob and Newt, who are both grinning. <br/><br/>Percy stands and presses his hands on the desk as he leans closer to them and they stop grinning. “One toe,” he says very quietly. “One toe for either of you and it’s all off the table. You are both extremely lucky. Mister Scamander, I was prepared to give you years for this. Mister Kowalski, I was prepared to erase your memory. These are very serious things that will be back on the table if you fuck any of this up.” <br/><br/>“Yes, sir,” Newt says. “We won’t.” <br/><br/>“Definitely not,” Jacob says. “Thank you, sir.” <br/><br/>Percy looks between them for a while before he stands straight and flutters his hand. Two pieces of paper appear then, with writing on them, and he sets one each in front of Newt and Jacob, along with two pens. <br/><br/>“Read them,” Percy says. “And sign them. I will be taking you home after, Mister Kowalski. Mister Scamander, you’ll be staying until the Magical Creatures department has finished their work.” <br/><br/>Jacob looks for a moment as if he might ask to stay but he thinks better of it and picks up the agreement to read through it. Newt’s bent over his as he reads it and Credence looks at Percy as he sits down. <br/><br/>He smiles when Percy looks at him and Percy certainly doesn’t smile back but he rests his hand over Credence’s knee. Credence knows this is only because he asked for it and it makes him want to kiss Percy, but he supposes he can wait a few more minutes for that. <br/><br/>After Newt and Jacob have scribbled their signatures on the papers, they thank Percy again. <br/><br/>“Thank Mister Barebone,” he says simply as he looks down at the papers. <br/><br/>Credence blushes when they look at him in surprise and shrugs helplessly. But they both thank him as well, Jacob especially so, no-maj to no-maj, Credence thinks, even if he isn’t much of a no-maj anymore. <br/><br/>Percy opens the door and calls Mister Fontaine in to take Newt back downstairs. Newt and Jacob say goodbye to each other and Newt promises he’ll swing by soon, in his words, and Jacob waves when he’s escorted out of the office. He looks at Percy and looks more intimidated than he already has been. <br/><br/>Once Percy has put the papers away, he looks at Jacob. “Come along, Mister Kowalski,” he says. “You cannot get back into this building being a no-maj but I strongly advise you never try.” <br/><br/>“Oh, right. Of course, I would never,” Jacob says and stands. “Not one toe.” <br/><br/>Credence smiles and stands with Percy. They leave his office and make their way through MACUSA. Jacob looks around it with as much awe as Credence still does and once they step off of the lift and start crossing the lobby, he looks at Credence. <br/><br/>“You two getting any closer to figuring out your problem?” he asks quietly. <br/><br/>“Oh… umm, I think so,” Credence says, his cheeks warm. “I don’t think they’ll be staying on much longer.” <br/><br/>“Can’t imagine it’s a pleasant experience,” Jacob mutters, for obvious reasons. <br/><br/>Credence tries not to think about Percy’s hand on his hip this morning or with only a towel around his waist, his hair damp and loose and looking more handsome than ever. His lips against Credence’s. <br/><br/>“Terrible,” Credence says and hears Percy’s huff a laugh next to him and smiles. “Director Graves is an unforgiving man.” <br/><br/>Jacob raises his eyebrows and grins. “Oh,” he says. “So maybe not so terrible then, huh?” <br/><br/>“That’s about enough of that,” Percy says as he nods at the doorman and they walk outside into the cold day. “Around the building.” He gestures to the left and they follow him. <br/><br/>Once they turn the corner and Percy has looked around for a while, he takes Credence’s hand and offers Jacob his arm. “Unfortunately for you both, we are going by Apparition. Cross streets, Kowalski?” <br/><br/>Jacob looks perturbed but he takes Percy’s arm and once he’s named the cross streets, there’s an odd tug behind Credence’s navel. He doesn’t have time to process it because the ground disappears and he feels like he’s being sucked through a very small tube, with a lot of spinning, far worse than the floo network. <br/><br/>When their feet hit the ground, Credence stumbles and blindly reaches out to brace himself, but he feels Percy’s arm around his waist to keep him steady. <br/><br/>Once Credence has gasped for air, he looks around and sees that Jacob has fallen over and is groaning as he pushes himself up to his feet. <br/><br/>“A little damn warning next time,” Jacob says and Credence is very much in agreement, looking at Percy. <br/><br/>Percy looks unrepentant and Credence thinks he probably got some enjoyment out of it and shakes his head in disbelief as he looks at Jacob. <br/><br/>“Are you okay?” <br/><br/>“Fine,” Jacob says and brushes himself off. “Hell of a thing, magic.” He looks around and points up at a building. “Hey, that’s my apartment right there. Oh, uhh, well, I suppose I’ll see you two around someday.” <br/><br/>“Hopefully not,” Percy says dryly. <br/><br/>Credence grins. “See you,” he says and watches Jacob head to his apartment building. Once he’s glanced back and waved, he disappears inside and Credence looks at Percy. “You did that on purpose.” <br/><br/>“Did what?” Percy asks and smiles when Credence sighs. “I’m about to do it again.” <br/><br/>“Can’t we take a taxi?” Credence asks. “That was an awful feeling.” <br/><br/>“You get used to it,” Percy says and pulls Credence closer to him, his arm still firmly around his waist. “I am not taking another damn taxi.” <br/><br/>“Can you make it not feel as bad?” <br/><br/>“Practice makes perfect, Mister Barebone.” <br/><br/>Percy doesn’t give him any warning the second time either.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After they’ve gotten back to MACUSA and the Auror department, Percy informs Fontaine that he is officially done now and they floo back into his apartment.<br/>
<br/>
Credence likes going by fireplace more than Apparating but he could do without the spinning for either of them and thinks that for all their magic, the wizarding world might have figured out how to make things more comfortable.<br/>
<br/>
They spend the rest of their day speaking about a great many things. Credence finds that he has an endless amount of questions and Percy answers them all patiently and he realizes after dinner that he has done nothing but talk. It’s probably the most he’s ever spoken in all his life and it makes him feel bad but when he stops Percy only encourages him to keep asking, to keep learning, and it should scare Credence that Percy can read him so well.<br/>
<br/>
But he looks at their wrists, joined together by magic that decided they were searching for each other, and thinks that maybe that’s how it’s meant to be.<br/>
<br/>
Percy does seem to genuinely enjoy speaking with Credence about the wizarding world and suspects it’s for the same reason. That he’s happy to have Credence at his side, happy to introduce him to the world he belongs in, and Credence fears this will all be taken away from him someday, but he lets himself enjoy it too.<br/>
<br/>
When it’s getting late and Credence is getting tired, he knows he must get over one final hurdle. It’ll make him more comfortable and he knows he can’t put it off for both of their sakes. Percy only looks mildly amused when he asks to take a shower and tells him it’s his apartment now too, whether they’re bound together or not.<br/>
<br/>
Credence is overwhelmed enough by that that showering isn’t quite as terrifying. He does yank Percy’s arm a few times and apologizes, but Percy only laughs. Credence does have an easier time of it than Percy, he thinks, being able to use his dominant hand, especially when he brushes his teeth.<br/>
<br/>
Percy doesn’t look when Credence dries off and pulls on a pair of his pajama pants after, thank goodness, because he might have died from the embarrassment. And Credence doesn’t bother brushing his hair after, feeling a sense of satisfaction for it, that he can do this now and Ma is not around to hurt him anymore for it.<br/>
<br/>
“You want to let it grow out or cut it?” Percy asks when he catches Credence looking at himself in the mirror.<br/>
<br/>
Much like Credence watched Percy staring at himself in the mirror this morning and it makes him smile. “I don’t know,” he says honestly. “I know it doesn’t look good. It’s been the same haircut for as long as I can remember.” He tugs gently at it and he can’t quite see himself with long hair, even if he styled it. “I think shorter would look better.”<br/>
<br/>
“I can clip it,” Percy says. “Until we can get you to my barber, which will be after we sort ourselves out.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles and looks at Percy, nodding. “Okay,” he says. “I’d like that. I don’t know if Ma did it so I’d look bad all the time or if she just didn’t care to try any other way.”<br/>
<br/>
“Well, she failed at making you look bad,” Percy mutters and leans against the counter next to Credence. When Credence wrinkles his nose, Percy chuckles. “You have no idea how beautiful you are. Couldn’t look bad even if you tried.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence can see his cheeks flush in the mirror and turns away from it, trying not to squirm in embarrassment. “Thank you,” he mumbles, though he certainly doesn’t agree. “I think I got pretty lucky myself.” He takes Percy’s hand, looking at the magic around their wrists.<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you,” Percy chuckles, but it’s warm and genuine, rather than making fun of Credence. He doesn’t think Percy will ever make fun of him. He holds Credence’s hand instead and moves his other one to Credence’s hip. “Ready to sleep?”<br/>
<br/>
Credence nods and smiles when he looks at Percy. They leave the bathroom and get into bed and if Credence giggles a little because he has to crawl to the other side, well, Percy only laughs too.<br/>
<br/>
They’ll both probably be sick of this fairly soon, as inconvenient as it is, but Credence is thankful it happened at all. Especially so when Percy pulls him close and kisses him, tasting like mint, and Credence feels daring enough to move his hand to the nape of Percy’s neck.<br/>
<br/>
Good night kisses are some of the best, Credence thinks, but then again, he doubts they’re all like this. There’s a passion that wasn’t as strong earlier in it and Credence’s heart races and his blood boils.<br/>
<br/>
It feels sinful and that’s not what he wants to think about. He wants to believe Percy that this is normal, that this is alright in the wizarding world, and Jacob comes to mind, unbidden.<br/>
<br/>
Grinning when he realized that Credence didn’t find this so unpleasant and he’s sure Newt explained the wizarding world to him, but he’s still a no-maj and he wasn’t disgusted.<br/>
<br/>
Credence thinks Ma was probably wrong about a lot of things.<br/>
<br/>
Percy pulls away, but he doesn’t go far, kissing Credence’s jaw and his shoulder and he smells good, the cologne he’d put on this morning, fainter now, but intoxicating all the same.<br/>
<br/>
“Let’s get some sleep,” Percy says quietly. He kisses Credence once more, gently, and lies down next to him, an arm wrapped around his ribs.<br/>
<br/>
Credence wants to ask him to keep kissing him but he thinks he understands why Percy’s putting a stop to it and that it’s probably a good idea. He’s twenty-seven and has had plenty of time to think about these things but Credence has never done them and he suspects he’d get overwhelmed.<br/>
<br/>
It makes him annoyed with himself because he is nearing thirty years old and he doesn’t want to be overwhelmed by anything like this.<br/>
<br/>
It’s Ma’s doing and Credence can’t find it within himself to hate her, but he does hate the fear she’s put in him. The self-loathing. But when Percy says good night, Credence looks at him and knows that Percy will help him with that. He’s said so already and Credence smiles.<br/>
<br/>
“Good night, Percy,” he whispers and hopes he gets to keep saying that every night, for as long as Percy lets him.<br/>
<br/>
——<br/>
<br/>
There’s a casual intimacy shared between them throughout the next day. It’s something Credence never thought he’d experience in all his life and he is terrified he’s going to mess it up, but Percy makes everything look so easy.<br/>
<br/>
The way he touches Credence’s lower back or his elbow when they’re maneuvering around each other, the way he kisses Credence’s cheek, kisses his lips, short and sweet, the way his arm is always around Credence’s shoulders on the sofa or his hand is resting on his thigh.<br/>
<br/>
It’s safety as much as it is comfort, as much as it is intimacy, and Credence is afraid to do much of what Percy does, but Percy always smiles when he is brave enough to, and he thinks one day there will be no fear.<br/>
<br/>
He’d had a nightmare around three in the morning and Credence had been disoriented when he woke but Percy had been there to remind him that this wasn’t all a nightmare in the gentlest of ways. Credence finds himself looking at the magic around their wrists more often now and silently thanking it, thanking their magics for touching and bonding.<br/>
<br/>
They talk more about the bond, about what may be the answer to releasing them from it, but Credence hasn’t got any clue. He can’t make any suggestions and Percy says a lot of things he doesn’t understand, half talking to himself anyway, and Credence merely watches him and tries to ignore the way his heart beats so strongly.<br/>
<br/>
He’s not sure if it’s uncomfortable or the best he’s ever felt.<br/>
<br/>
Credence asks Percy to cut his hair after lunch and they stand in his bathroom shortly after. There’s a warm towel draped over Credence’s neck and he’s shirtless, but he can see that Percy doesn’t stare at his back when he takes clippers to his hair.<br/>
<br/>
They’re magical clippers, so Percy tells them the length they should be at and they do as he says and Credence is sure he’ll never get over magic.<br/>
<br/>
Percy takes away the shape his mother always cut his hair into until it’s a gradual lengthening from his shaved neck to the crown of his head. It’s a much more modern look, but Credence wants it shorter. He wants it all gone, he realizes, not to be shaved down to his scalp, but for the length of it to be gone.<br/>
<br/>
The parts that Ma touched.<br/>
<br/>
When he tells Percy this, nervous and afraid, Percy looks like he understands. He only smiles and cuts it shorter, this time with scissors. Credence doesn’t think Percy probably does this very often but when he’s done, Credence stares at himself in the mirror and sees a new man.<br/>
<br/>
Percy cleans up the trimmed hair with a few waves of his hand and wets another towel with hot water, brushing it over Credence’s neck and his shoulders. He’s giving Credence some time but when he’s done, his arms move around Credence and he kisses his shoulder and looks at him in the mirror.<br/>
<br/>
“Good tears?” Percy asks.<br/>
<br/>
Credence sniffs and nods, brushing off his cheek. “Yes,” he says and leans back against Percy. “Thank you, Percy. I like it.”<br/>
<br/>
“I do too,” Percy says. “You’re welcome, love.”<br/>
<br/>
They stay like that for a while, until Credence is ready to get back to trying to figure out the bond. He touches his hair often throughout the day, he knows, but he can’t quite help it, something so new and different and wonderful.<br/>
<br/>
There seems to be truth, acceptance, support and understanding between them, and they both seem to have found what they’re searching for, but the bonds remain firmly around their wrists. Credence sees that Percy is running out of ideas and there are no more books he can think of to search through.<br/>
<br/>
Twycross hadn’t had any more information for them and Percy has explained that Unspeakables study love and how it affects the mind, the body, the heart and soul, and Credence doesn’t really know why they do, but if she didn’t know anything more, no others will.<br/>
<br/>
When it’s late and Credence is warm and comfortable under a blanket, watching the fire crackling, orange embers floating up the chimney, he hums.<br/>
<br/>
“Maybe we should go to Rio and ask the Brazilians Newt spoke to,” he says and smiles when Percy chuckles.<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like they were right about it coming off when we found out we were both searching for the same thing.”<br/>
<br/>
“But they only meant that for why it happens. I don’t think they meant it’s how it comes off too.”<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t know what they could tell us about it that we haven’t already been told or thought about. Mister Scamander said different cultures look at it as meaning something else.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence frowns a little. “So maybe we should ask different people,” he says. “A lot of other cultures are so much older than ours.”<br/>
<br/>
“Hmm,” Percy hums. “That’s true, they are. Travel the world, ask what different people think they mean until we get our answer?”<br/>
<br/>
“Why not?” Credence asks with a smile. “Can’t you just take us to Rio with Apparating?”<br/>
<br/>
Percy laughs and Credence can’t see his face, his back against Percy’s chest, but he loves to hear him laugh. Percy’s arm is wrapped loosely around him and his thumb stroking Credence’s stomach is fairly distracting.<br/>
<br/>
“Apparition,” Percy says. “That’s not how it works, love. Can’t jump those kinds of distances.”<br/>
<br/>
“No? Why not?”<br/>
<br/>
“Apparition requires knowing where you’re going and being fairly familiar with the destination. Start trying to go places you don’t know and it gets dangerous. Doing that over thousands of miles is deadly.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence grimaces and holds on to Percy’s arm. “How is it deadly?”<br/>
<br/>
“Well,” Percy says, “you can splinch yourself. Leave parts of yourself behind. Sometimes that’s half of your eyebrow and sometimes that’s half of yourself.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, God,” Credence croaks. “And you just did it yesterday with no warning!”<br/>
<br/>
“I said that happens over long distances when you don’t know where you’re going,” Percy says dryly. “Not a small jump to a street I can picture easily in my mind because I’ve lived in New York City for almost twenty years.”<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t think I want to do it again either way.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy laughs. “You’re going to have to, sweetheart. It’s not dangerous if you know what you’re doing. Which I do and so will you. It’s not going to happen to you if I’m the one Apparating.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence doesn’t know if Percy’s telling the complete truth but he decides to believe him anyway, because the alternative is too frightening.<br/>
<br/>
“So no Rio?”<br/>
<br/>
“There are different ways to travel to Rio,” Percy says with amusement, moving his hand up to pinch Credence’s chin. “I think we’ll figure this out in New York just fine.”<br/>
<br/>
“If you say so,” Credence says with a smile and looks at his wrist and the magic circling it. “Do you think being intimate in bed could do something?”<br/>
<br/>
When Percy starts coughing, Credence realizes with horror and utter mortification what he’s suggested and covers his mouth. He sits frozen, wishing he could melt away, never to be seen or heard from again, while trying not to imagine the fires of hell waiting for him.<br/>
<br/>
“Fuck, Credence,” Percy finally says and he doesn’t sound angry, mostly amused, and clears his throat. “And you talk about no warning.”<br/>
<br/>
“Percy, I’m so sorry,” Credence says, lowering his hands to do so, and he feels shame burning in his gut. His face is hot with embarrassment and it should be, he thinks. “I shouldn’t have said that.”<br/>
<br/>
“Hey,” Percy says more gently and takes Credence’s hand. “It’s fine, Credence. That’s a normal thing to think about in a relationship.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence shakes his head. “But I shouldn’t be thinking about that,” he says and he’s even more mortified there are tears stinging at his eyes. He’s so used to the shame and punishment those thoughts bring and he knows it’s done differently in the wizarding world, but there’s fear churning his stomach anyway. “I’m sorry, we just… we just met, it’s wrong of me—”<br/>
<br/>
“Credence,” Percy interrupts firmly. “It’s normal to think about it with people you’ll <em> never </em> meet. You don’t ever have to be sorry for thinking about it with me. We’re already sharing a bed. It’s not rude and it’s not wrong either. Will you look at me?”<br/>
<br/>
That’s the last thing Credence wants to do and he sniffs, staring down at Percy’s hand over his own. He squeezes his eyes shut before sitting up and facing Percy, but he can’t bring himself to look him in the eye.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, sweetheart,” Percy sighs and squeezes Credence’s shoulder. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It was bound to come up at some point. Most people in relationships are intimate.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence swallows dryly and shakes his head. “It was wrong to say it so soon,” he says. “I wasn’t thinking.”<br/>
<br/>
“You’re thinking too much now,” Percy says. “Believe it or not, but the thought crossed my mind too.” When Credence looks up to gape at Percy, he only shrugs, his smile wry. “Dismissed it as something not likely to fix this and because I am not going to make what you’re thinking about yourself right now worse.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence looks down and away again, wincing. “I believe you when you say it’s normal,” he says quietly. “In the wizarding world. I just… I don’t know how to not think that way.”<br/>
<br/>
“You’ve been told for a long time you should think that way,” Percy sighs. “It’ll come in time, Credence. Your acceptance of yourself and intimacy.”<br/>
<br/>
“I do want it,” Credence mumbles, his cheeks hot again.<br/>
<br/>
“When you stop thinking you’re sinful and wicked, we’ll talk about it,” Percy says and squeezes Credence’s shoulder more firmly. “Give it some time. The last thing I want to do is harm you.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence frowns and bites his lip. He doesn’t think Percy would harm him if they were intimate. He thinks it might actually help him to not think this way about it, to see that it’s normal and that it feels good. That they fit well together that way as well as they already do in other ways.<br/>
<br/>
But he doesn’t know how to say any of that. Percy might be right that it would mix him up more, though Credence doesn’t think so, and he knows it would be rude to push when Percy is uncomfortable with it himself.<br/>
<br/>
He doesn’t know how long or what it will take to remove the bonds and he dearly hopes it isn’t intimacy, because Percy might not be comfortable with that for months, for all Credence knows.<br/>
<br/>
“You dismissed it because it would be known if that’s what fixed it,” Credence says instead and feels wrung out and annoyed with himself for not realizing it before he opened his mouth.<br/>
<br/>
“Mhmm,” Percy hums and pulls Credence closer to kiss his forehead. “You’re new to this, Credence. All of it. I don’t expect you to have any answers for what the hell is happening to us. Just questions,” he adds with a chuckle. “It’s alright. Really.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence sighs and nods and dares a look at Percy. He’s only smiling, affection in his eyes and it’s almost too much to bear, but Credence sees that Percy means what he says too. Percy kisses him, briefly, and pulls away, patting Credence’s thigh.<br/>
<br/>
“Come on, love. It’s late. We’ll run some errands tomorrow and try not to let the whole wizarding world see this,” Percy says as he holds up his hand. “They’re bound to think you’re my prisoner if they do.”<br/>
<br/>
“Sera said it is being imprisoned to you,” Credence says and smiles when Percy thins his lips. “Who knows, maybe someone else would recognize it.”<br/>
<br/>
“Not fucking likely,” Percy mutters. “Mister Scamander only did because he goes gallivanting around the world saving magical creatures from extinction. If Twycross didn’t know more about it, no one else in New York will.”<br/>
<br/>
“You can’t know that,” Credence says as they get off of the sofa. “What if other people have traveled the world and learned it?”<br/>
<br/>
“And MACUSA hasn’t? We built MACUSA with all known magic from Ministries in Europe,” Percy says. “And if those very old governments don’t know about it, I doubt a random New Yorker will.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence thinks Percy is only annoyed he doesn’t know the answer himself but he doesn’t want to insult him potentially for the second time. He watches him extinguish the fire and turn off the lights and follows him into the bathroom and into bed after.<br/>
<br/>
“Have you been searching for anything else?” Credence asks when Percy turns off the light.<br/>
<br/>
“My patience for politics within MACUSA. Went missing a long time ago,” Percy says and smiles when Credence huffs a laugh. “Not anything like this. Except maybe to feel some sort of contentment.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles faintly. “You don’t have contentment in your life?”<br/>
<br/>
“They do say money doesn’t buy everything,” Percy says. “There’s a certain amount of stress that comes with my job. Coming home to an empty apartment. By choice, mind you, but wishing it was different sometimes. I think those things fall in line with searching for you and you’re already bringing contentment to my life.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh,” Credence says softly and smiles, wider. His cheeks are warm again and he’s glad it’s dark, but doesn’t think he’ll be rid of embarrassment anytime soon. “You’re bringing that to mine too, Percy.”<br/>
<br/>
“Good,” Percy says and leans over to kiss Credence.<br/>
<br/>
It’s not quite as long and lingering as last night’s was, but it’s enough and Credence doesn’t dare ask for more. He only asks if he can be on his right side because he’s always slept better that way, facing the window in the church, and Percy readily agrees.<br/>
<br/>
Credence thinks he’s always going to be agreeable and hopes he can be the same way, because Percy deserves that too.<br/>
<br/>
Percy’s hand rests on Credence’s hip and he’s closer, his chest pressed to Credence’s back and his lips on Credence’s shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
“Good night, love.”<br/>
<br/>
“Good night,” Credence says and smiles.<br/>
<br/>
It takes him a long while to fall asleep that night but he’s warm and safe and it’s not terrifying anymore, waiting for what the next day might bring. He’s still embarrassed with himself, but he tries to think about what Percy told him, that it’s <em> alright, </em> and eventually falls asleep with far more hope than he’s ever had before.<br/>
<br/>
——<br/>
<br/>
After showers and breakfast, Percy explains to Credence what shopping in the wizarding world is like. So he’s not shocked, Credence assumes, but it does sound rather wonderful.<br/>
<br/>
Entire shops filled with magic and witches and wizards shopping, going about their daily lives, and to know it’s where students go to get school supplies is even more exciting. Percy doesn’t seem to be all that fond of Dragon Street except for his tailor, who gets a lot of business fitting Ilvermorny students for their robes, but makes high end clothes otherwise.<br/>
<br/>
Credence is learning that Percy prefers high end things and would probably like it if his tailor worked on Fifth Avenue, but he keeps that thought to himself.<br/>
<br/>
They use the floo network and walk through an inn that no-majs apparently see as an empty building and Credence wonders how often he has passed places of magic and never known it. There’s a small courtyard behind the inn and a white brick wall opens into a large archway and there is an entire street laid before them.<br/>
<br/>
It’s busy but there is magic everywhere Credence looks and he has a hard time keeping up with Percy’s pace and keeping a hold of his sleeve at the same time.<br/>
<br/>
It’s the most wonderful place Credence has ever seen and he belongs here now. He fully intends on making Percy slow down one of these days and to show him what there is to see in Dragon Street, but he seems determined to meet with his tailor.<br/>
<br/>
And a lot of people do look at him, which Credence supposes he should have expected, being the Director of Magical Security and all, but it is rather uncomfortable, because it looks like they’re holding hands.<br/>
<br/>
There’s no disgust on their faces, only some sort of curiosity and wariness, and Credence tries to pay attention to the shop names rather than the people.<br/>
<br/>
<em> Anita’s </em> is at the end of the street, a classy sort of storefront, with a glass door and windows, mannequins in them showing a variety of different clothing for men and women, some bizarre. Long robes of different kinds, some with frilly collars that Credence dearly hopes Percy won’t make him wear, but there are nicer pieces too, closer to what Percy wears.<br/>
<br/>
The shop is warm inside and smells like leather and something faint, like a floral perfume. It’s unbearably fancy, Credence thinks, the way everything is laid out and organized just so.<br/>
<br/>
There are a few people getting their measurements taken and Credence watches the tape measures do it themselves and the witches and wizards who are helping are discussing fabrics and fits.<br/>
<br/>
“Director Graves,” one of the wizard’s says with a smile as he looks over. “Anita’s in the back.”<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you,” Percy says and walks across the shop and straight into the back, as if he owns the place, and Credence only hopes he’s allowed to do it.<br/>
<br/>
The back of the shop is a very large area with multiple shelves and drawers, all filled with fabrics and belts and cufflinks and so on, with large wooden tables in the center of the room. There are more witches and wizards here working on different pieces of clothing and they barely spare a glance at Percy, so this must be a common occurrence.<br/>
<br/>
Anita is a short, thin woman with straight black hair cut severely at her shoulders, her eyes bright blue, thin, dark purple-framed glasses on her nose. She’s wearing all black, trousers and a blouse rather than a dress, and Credence thinks she must be in her fifties or sixties. She’s intimidating all the same.<br/>
<br/>
“Ah, hello, darling,” Anita says with a smile when she sees Percy. He kisses her cheek. “And a guest? How unusual.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy smirks. “Get used to seeing him, he’s your newest customer,” he says. “Credence Barebone, this is Anita Shade.”<br/>
<br/>
“Wonderful to meet you, darling,” Anita says and holds out her hand. Credence shakes it nervously and Anita smiles. “You’re already wearing some of mine, I see.” She looks at Percy and raises her eyebrows. “I suppose you’d like some that actually fit him.”<br/>
<br/>
“Ground up,” Percy says with a smile. “Bit of everything.”<br/>
<br/>
“That’s… I don’t need that much,” Credence says breathlessly. “Just a few shirts and trousers.”<br/>
<br/>
“And a couple of coats and more shirts and trousers. A few suits just so I don’t have to drop by last minute for any,” Percy says. “Credence has never been to a tailor before.”<br/>
<br/>
“Ah,” Anita says and smiles. “Well, in that case, let’s find some privacy.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence doesn’t know what that means and Percy winking at him doesn’t help matters, but they leave the back room and walk to the other side of the shop. There are a few large mirrors side by side and when Anita approaches one, Credence realizes they’re also doors.<br/>
<br/>
It leads into a spacious fitting room, with an armchair and a soft leather stool in the middle of the room, with tape measures and a few other things Credence doesn’t recognize.<br/>
<br/>
Anita pulls out a wand which is rather pretty, a purple wood that Credence has never seen, with a mother-of-pearl inlay Percy had explained to him the wandmaker here puts on all of his wands.<br/>
<br/>
She waves it at a tape measure and it springs up, zooming to Credence’s right leg and beginning to take his measurements.<br/>
<br/>
“Is there a reason you’re not sitting, Percival?” Anita asks as she lowers her glasses and looks at the tape measure.<br/>
<br/>
“Credence and I are stuck at the hip, I’m afraid,” Percy says and lifts his arm when Anita glances at him. Credence would have preferred some warning about that himself. “He’s not my prisoner.”<br/>
<br/>
Anita chuckles as she looks over the bond with interest. “I’ve never seen such a thing,” she says. “What is it?”<br/>
<br/>
“Still working that out so we might get it off. Happens when two magics touch that apparently need to come to some sort of understanding,” Percy says and smiles when Credence looks at him. “It’s turned out to be a good thing.”<br/>
<br/>
“Now that is a surprise,” Anita says with a wider smile. “Oh, darling, how long have you been like this?” Anita asks Credence. “I’ve never seen him glowing. Only glowering.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence blushes and grins, unable to help it. “Four days,” he says. “I didn’t even know I was a wizard until then.”<br/>
<br/>
“Really?” Anita asks with more interest. “Now how on earth can that be?”<br/>
<br/>
Credence doesn’t know why, but he finds it easy to speak with Anita, even when the tape measure is dangerously closer to his groin. He doesn’t know how much he should say, but Percy never stops him, only adds a comment here and there and laughs at what Credence has to say.<br/>
<br/>
When his measurements have been taken, Anita leads Credence to a long wall of hangers full of different fabrics and styles of clothing. He looks through them and continues to chat and feels a little badly Percy has to follow, but he only looks content to do so.<br/>
<br/>
Credence thinks about last night and Percy’s search for contentment and tries to push that thought away for later.<br/>
<br/>
He vaguely understands what wizarding money is and when he gets flustered at some of the price tags, Anita only tells him to let Percy buy him a wardrobe, because it’ll make him happy and Credence wants to argue with that, but he decides not to. Even though he knows he’s being finessed.<br/>
<br/>
Anita has an assistant make hot chocolate and serves it with cookies when they’re sitting at a table with her, looking at ties and ascots, which Credence will never wear.<br/>
<br/>
He’s having fun, he realizes, when he sees that Percy is watching him, chin in his hand, a smile on his face.<br/>
<br/>
Credence trips over his words a little but he’s grinning anyway and he hopes, hopes with all that he can that this will remain. That Percy will be his as much as Credence is Percy’s, in time, and that they can do this sort of thing forever.<br/>
<br/>
It’s probably too soon to think of <em> forever, </em> but Credence can’t help it.<br/>
<br/>
When they’re finally done and Credence is fairly sure he’s going to need a closet of his own, Anita hugs him and kisses his cheeks, doing the same to Percy, and tells them to come back in a few days to pick up the clothes.<br/>
<br/>
“Good luck, my loves,” Anita says and flutters her hand goodbye as they leave the shop.<br/>
<br/>
It’s cold and a bit darker outside and Credence is eager for a coat of his own. Percy’s is comfortable and warm but the idea of having his own clothes, nice clothes, has settled a little more easily now.<br/>
<br/>
They eat lunch at <em> Cove’s Cafe, </em> which looks like a rustic French cafe, with French and American food, and tiny tables with tiny cups of coffee, but Credence likes it immensely.<br/>
<br/>
“I talked too much, didn’t I?” Credence asks after they’ve ordered lunch.<br/>
<br/>
Percy smiles. “No, Credence, you didn’t,” he says and there’s something extraordinarily fond about the way he says it. “I only hope it feels as good to talk openly with people as it does to watch you do it.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence ducks his head, cursing his perpetual embarrassment, but he’s smiling. “I don’t think I’ve talked this much in my whole life put together,” he mutters. “I feel comfortable here.”<br/>
<br/>
“You belong here,” Percy says. “Keep talking, love, I am not the only one who will be glad to listen.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence bites his lip and looks over the little doily beneath his little coffee cup. He looks at Percy and smiles. “Will I be able to come here when we aren’t stuck together?”<br/>
<br/>
“Sure,” Percy says. “I’d prefer if you had a wand first, but if you like it here, come whenever you want.”<br/>
<br/>
“Why would I need a wand?”<br/>
<br/>
“Because it’s always a good idea to have a wand in public places,” Percy says. “I won’t be comfortable until you do.”<br/>
<br/>
“But I wouldn’t even know how to use it.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy chuckles. “I’m not going to let you get a wand for it to only stay in your pocket. I’ll teach you how to use it, Credence. Everyday use and how to protect yourself.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence wrinkles his nose. “Do people often need to protect themselves here?”<br/>
<br/>
“Not often. But my paranoia has saved my life numerous times,” Percy says with a smirk. “You’ve been seen with me, Credence, in public. People will always assume things, especially when it keeps happening. I want you safe.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence hadn’t thought about that. That being with the Director of Magical Security might actually pose a threat to him, as far as criminals taking advantage goes, and he grimaces at the thought.<br/>
<br/>
“I’ll never be able to protect myself.”<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t say that, of course you will. You’re learning from me and I am the best in America at protecting myself and others. It’s why they call me Director.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence huffs a little and smiles. “I hope that scares anyone off from bothering me then,” he says. “I’m more interested in everyday use.”<br/>
<br/>
“Very convenient, wands,” Percy says with a smirk. “We could get you one today, you know.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence’s heart skips a beat and he blinks a few times. “At Mister Jonker’s?”<br/>
<br/>
“He’s on the corner north of Anita’s shop,” Percy chuckles. “I don’t think you noticed, it doesn’t look like anything special outside. But yes, there are thousands of wands in that shop and one of them is yours.”<br/>
<br/>
“Already?”<br/>
<br/>
“Just waiting for you to pick it up.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence bites his lip as he thinks about it. The thought of having his own wand was terrifying just a couple of days ago and he supposes that it still is, but there’s a certain excitement to it as well. Percy had said he’d want one sooner than he was thinking and he suspects Percy will always be right about everything, as much as it might annoy him someday.<br/>
<br/>
Their food comes then, grilled chicken sandwiches with melted provolone and seasoned fries, and Credence eats a few of them, better than he’s ever had.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay,” he says and looks at Percy. “I think I’d like that.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy smiles and the soft affection is back, something Credence is never going to get tired of seeing. “Alright then,” he says. “You’ll be glad to have it.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles and knows that’s true, from what Percy has told him. A special sort of bond, unique to each wizard and their wand, which will be with them for life, if no accidents happen.<br/>
<br/>
They eat lunch and Percy tells Credence what shops are in Dragon Street now that he’s not speeding through it. Some sound fascinating, especially the shops that sell pets like owls and Kneazles and a few others, as well as the candy shop that sells things Credence isn’t quite sure if Percy is telling the truth about or not.<br/>
<br/>
But then Credence has been surrounded by magic for days now and is stuck to Percy by it, so he thinks Percy would probably never lie to him, even if something sounds as unbelievable as it does, like lollipops made of blood for vampires to enjoy.<br/>
<br/>
When they’re finished with coffee and lunch, Credence asks to see the candy shop first and he’s sure Percy knows it’s because he’s nervous, but he doesn’t say anything. He takes Credence to the shop and though he looks mildly annoyed at the multitude of shoppers - it’s less than a month away from Christmas after all - he walks Credence through it, pointing out various things.<br/>
<br/>
It’s incredibly colorful, bright reds and yellows, golds and silvers, vibrant violets and greens. There are bins and buckets full of things Credence couldn’t even guess at, not even with their names, but it all looks amazing. There are lollipops, bright and round or long and thin, solid colors and flavors, as well as multi-colored and flavored. Credence sees something that looks like flat rope rolled up tight, green with white stripes, and Percy tells him it’s a sour, chewy candy, about thirty feet long and that he doesn’t recommend it.<br/>
<br/>
Credence grins and moves on to a wide assortment of chocolates. Nougats and jellies, caramels and truffles, chocolate covered nuts and espresso beans, all shining in the bright golden light of the shop. He thinks he’d like to try one of everything, but he says no whenever Percy asks him if he wants something he’s staring at. He’s been spending enough money on him as it is.<br/>
<br/>
He almost makes it out without anything, but the freshly made kettle corn, half the pieces with a drizzle of dark chocolate on them, had smelled divine and it was interesting to watch the shop employee mixing it in a large steel kettle.<br/>
<br/>
The bag is longer than his arm and he thinks his clothes are going to smell like kettle corn for the rest of the day as he holds it, but that’s alright.<br/>
<br/>
Percy is finally walking at a leisurely pace as he points out more things on their way to the wand shop. There’s a street that slopes upward, covered by a large bricked archway, and Percy says the American branch of Gringotts Bank is back there and that one day Credence will have to open his own vault, if he wants to work.<br/>
<br/>
“I do,” Credence says. “I do want to work. I don’t know what I could do, but if… if I could work in a place like this, I think I’d be happy.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy chuckles. “I think I believe it,” he says with a smile. “Could get you a job somewhere in MACUSA too.”<br/>
<br/>
“You said you won’t ever… you know. With someone who works in MACUSA.”<br/>
<br/>
“This couldn’t possibly be more different than what I meant.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence grins. “I don’t know, it might be odd working in the same building. What could I even do there? I never went to school.”<br/>
<br/>
“Plenty of jobs you could do,” Percy says. “But we can go over that later. And if you worked here,” he adds, “it’d be a good excuse to get out of the office and come have lunch with you.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles as they stop in front of Jonker’s wand shop, looking up at the unassuming sign written in swooping letters, simply <em> Jonker’s. </em><br/>
<br/>
“I’d like that,” Credence says. “Maybe when I know how to use my wand I’ll ask if I can work in the pet shop.”<br/>
<br/>
“Come home stinking of owl every day,” Percy says dryly. “I have a feeling you’d try to make the apartment a zoo.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence laughs. “I would not,” he says. “You’d probably be mean to any pet I brought in.”<br/>
<br/>
“I am not <em> mean </em> to pets,” Percy says and opens the door for Credence, “I just don’t have the time for them.”<br/>
<br/>
“I might, once you’re back to work,” Credence says and smiles when Percy squints at him as he steps inside the shop.<br/>
<br/>
It’s darker and very quiet in here and it smells like leather and wood shavings and something else Credence can’t quite place. There’s a low counter and a swinging door leading behind it, where shelves upon shelves stand, extending to the back of the shop and further right than Credence can see. On each shelf are numerous thin boxes and Credence can see some are covered in dust and cobwebs and wonders why those wands haven’t been touched in so long.<br/>
<br/>
“Ah,” he hears a man’s voice, “Director Graves. It’s only been eight days.”<br/>
<br/>
An elderly man appears between two shelves, around their height with wispy white hair and a round, kind face. He’s smiling shortly and Credence has a feeling that he sees Percy too often, in his opinion, but Credence doesn’t know why.<br/>
<br/>
“I average about every eleven days,” Percy says with a wink for Credence, taking his kettle corn from him. “Mister Jonker, I’m not here on MACUSA business.”<br/>
<br/>
“No?” Mister Jonker asks with some surprise and looks at Credence. “Are you, young man?”<br/>
<br/>
Credence coughs a little. “No, sir,” he says hastily. “I’m here to… to get a wand.”<br/>
<br/>
“Your first?” Mister Jonker asks with more surprise. “Not often I get customers your age looking for their first wand.”<br/>
<br/>
“Has it ever actually happened before?” Percy asks dryly.<br/>
<br/>
“It has, actually, Director Graves,” Mister Jonker says with some tartness and turns back to Credence. “Your name?”<br/>
<br/>
“Credence Barebone, sir.”<br/>
<br/>
“Hmm. Barebone. I’ve never sold to a Barebone. I see, I see…” Mister Jonker says and turns around to gaze at his shelves. “No Ilvermorny and a first wand… quite extraordinary… how long have you known you have magical blood, my boy?”<br/>
<br/>
“Four days,” Credence croaks, not quite sure what’s extraordinary rather than only embarrassing and sad. “I don’t remember using magic when I was a child.”<br/>
<br/>
“Hmm,” Mister Jonker hums again and turns to look at Credence. “How might you describe yourself?”<br/>
<br/>
Credence blinks once, then twice and opens his mouth. He closes it, coming up short, because he hasn’t got any clue how he would describe himself. He’s never been a person of his own, not until four days ago, and he’s still trapped by Ma in a lot of ways. Credence could never describe himself because Ma would describe him for Credence and his chest feels hollow at the thought.<br/>
<br/>
“Mister Barebone is painfully humble,” Percy says. “Soft-hearted and soft-handed. Kind. Considerate to a fault with an empathy I certainly don’t possess. He is also intelligent, sagacious enough to get me to change my mind, and very, <em> very </em> perceptive.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence blushes and bites his lip, hard, trying not to fidget or look Percy or Mister Jonker in the eye. He hardly agrees and he doesn’t know what in the world <em> sagacious </em> means, but Mister Jonker nods slowly and thoughtfully as he peers at Credence.<br/>
<br/>
“And how did you find out you were a wizard?” he asks Credence.<br/>
<br/>
Credence glances at Percy who only nods. “Umm… the incident with the magical creatures four days ago. I saw a couple of them and Director Graves was questioning me. We found out I was a wizard shortly after.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy holds up his arm unexpectedly again and Credence would groan, but he does too, and Mister Jonker’s bushy eyebrows fly up his forehead.<br/>
<br/>
“Good gracious,” he says and reaches into the pocket of his vest to pull out a pair of glasses. He puts them on and squints at the magical bond. “Magic of its own doing?”<br/>
<br/>
“That’s right,” Percy says. “I touched Mister Barebone’s hand and this appeared. We are in the process of attempting to remove them.”<br/>
<br/>
“How interesting,” Mister Jonker says. He squints between Percy and Credence before holding up a finger and disappearing into the shelves.<br/>
<br/>
Credence watches him go and looks at Percy. “Is it a good idea to show everyone this?”<br/>
<br/>
“I happen to trust the people I’m showing, Credence,” Percy says. “Or I wouldn’t do it. Thought it just might help him figure you out. And…” He gestures when Mister Jonker reappears with a thin, dusty box in his hands.<br/>
<br/>
He sets it on the counter and opens it, gesturing them closer. “Twelve and a half inches, rowan wood, with a Wampus hair core. A highly favored wand, indeed, very sought after, for they are known to be protective of the pure-hearted. But that does not mean that they don’t hold immense power. They’re quite well suited to duelling as well.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence stares down at the wand, a much lighter one than Percy’s, sand-colored with three thick lines of mother-of-pearl inlay near the bottom of the wand. It has a slight bump in the middle and Credence thinks it adds character to it. He looks at it and at Mister Jonker, who gestures eagerly for him to pick it up. It makes him feel queasy, but he does hesitantly grab the wand, embarrassed by his trembling hand.<br/>
<br/>
It’s hefty, a nice weight to it, and Credence doesn’t know what’s supposed to happen, but he doesn’t feel anything.<br/>
<br/>
“Not to be,” Mister Jonker says cheerfully. “No need to worry, I’ve other ideas.” He holds out the box and Credence puts the wand away.<br/>
<br/>
His hand feels a little bereft now and he looks at Percy as Mister Jonker wanders off into the shelves again. “Was that bad?”<br/>
<br/>
“Credence, it was the first wand,” Percy says with a chuckle. “Could be twenty before we find yours. Sometimes it takes a while and sometimes it doesn’t. You’ll know it’s yours when you pick it up and it chooses you.”<br/>
<br/>
“Chooses me?”<br/>
<br/>
“The wand always chooses the wizard, Mister Barebone,” Mister Jonker says as he reappears, holding two boxes. He sets them on the counter and opens one, gesturing at it. “This is eleven inches, pear wood, with a Wampus hair core. Beautiful wand and quite extraordinary in that they possess the ability for powerful, splendid magic by the kind-hearted and yet immensely resilient witch or wizard who pairs with them.”<br/>
<br/>
This wand is golden in color, shined beautifully, and the mother-of-pearl inlay twists in a thin line up along the wand like a tree branch. It is very lovely and Credence picks it up with more ease but Mister Jonker is shaking his head before Credence has gotten a chance to feel the weight of it in his palm.<br/>
<br/>
He sighs and sets it back in the box as Mister Jonker opens the next one.<br/>
<br/>
“This one is thirteen inches, alder wood, with a Wampus hair core. An unusual sort of wood, alder, as it is one of the most unyielding woods we wandmakers use. And yet, despite its own stubborn and obstinate nature, it is most happily paired with a witch or wizard who is remarkably different from itself. Considerate and likeable, I’ve always found the witch or wizard to be. Give it a try!”<br/>
<br/>
Credence picks up the wand, large and heavy, a darker wood than the others, with only a small strip of mother-of-pearl inlay in a thin circle on the bottom. He knows this isn’t the one for him before Mister Jonker shakes his head this time and sets it back in the box with a frown.<br/>
<br/>
When he looks at Percy, Percy only smiles and squeezes his hand.<br/>
<br/>
Mister Jonker comes back with three boxes this time. “Let’s see if any of these suit you, Mister Barebone,” he says and opens the next box. “Cedar wood, just under ten inches, with a Wampus hair core. Cedar woods favor those of strong character and loyalty. They are particularly at home with those with the propensity for perspacity and perceptiveness. It’s never a good idea to cross a witch or wizard who owns the cedar wand.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence eyes it with trepidation. It’s much shorter, light in color, with a thick band of mother-of-pearl an inch up from the bottom. It’s not a fancy or pretty wand, he thinks, and he certainly doesn’t think he has a strong character, but he picks it up.<br/>
<br/>
He’s a little relieved when Mister Jonker shakes his head and puts it back. Mister Jonker opens another box and presents it to Credence.<br/>
<br/>
“Now this one is made of willow, another unusual wood that has immense healing powers. Powerful and often attracted to a witch or wizard with some form of insecurity but this does not mean it is an ill match! Quite the opposite, willow wands tend to give confidence to their wielder, because they choose those who have the greatest potential. I get many customers who wish to have a willow wand for its handsome appearance and reputation for allowing advanced, nonverbal magic, but it will not choose them due to the fact that they think they know everything already. Director Graves can likely attest to the fact that the witch or wizard who thinks they know everything is unteachable and without much potential.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy huffs a dry laugh and nods. “They make it about a week, possibly two into my training program,” he says and smiles at Credence. “A good thing for us all.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles and looks down at the wand. It’s incredibly pretty, a light wood that’s nearly white with darker streaks in it, and the mother-of-pearl inlay circles the wood from the bottom of the wand to midway up, like an elegant snake draped over someone’s arm.<br/>
<br/>
“Just under thirteen inches and another Wampus core, which makes it a very stable wand indeed for the one who might match with it,” Mister Jonker says and gestures at it.<br/>
<br/>
Credence takes in a deep breath and lets it out. He likes this wand, the look of it and the sound of it, even if it favors insecurities. But he thinks it’s going to take looking through many more wands and he wonders if there has ever been a witch or wizard that no wand chooses.<br/>
<br/>
He thinks he would be the first, if there hasn’t been.<br/>
<br/>
Credence picks up the wand and an immediate but pleasant warmth spreads through his arm, as if he’s just dunked it into a warm bath, and the feeling spreads to his chest. And, to his great surprise, a small, white light glows at the tip of the wand before steadily fading away.<br/>
<br/>
It’s quiet for a while as Credence stares at the wand. He looks up at Percy, who is gazing at him with such warmth and pride that Credence feels a different sort of comfort in his chest. He looks at Mister Jonker, who is smiling proudly as well, though Credence thinks it’s pride for himself, the wand and Credence all together.<br/>
<br/>
“Well done, my boy! A wand many would be envious of, you know,” Mister Jonker says. “A most excellent match and a wand that shall never let you down. Ollivander’s got a proverb about willow, you know, something like this: he who has furthest to travel will go fastest with willow. I’ve found this to be quite true myself.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence doesn’t know if that’s a particularly good or bad thing, but Mister Jonker seems nothing but pleased, and it makes Percy laugh. He supposes he does have a long way to go, but his wand will help him get there.<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you, Mister Jonker,” Credence says as he looks at him. “Thank you very much. It’s a beautiful wand.”<br/>
<br/>
“All yours now,” Mister Jonker says and holds out the box.<br/>
<br/>
Credence is reluctant to part with his wand but he sets it in the box and Mister Jonker covers it. He wraps it up safely and ties a black ribbon around it and gives it to Credence. Percy pays for the wand, though Credence doesn’t see how much and is a little terrified to ask.<br/>
<br/>
“Well done, love,” Percy says when Mister Jonker disappears to put the other wands away. “That’s a fantastic wand.” He kisses Credence, a brief peck on the lips.<br/>
<br/>
Credence grins. “Thank you,” he says and looks down at the dusty floors. “Even my wand knows I have insecurities.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy laughs. “And it knows you have the greatest potential to get past them,” he says and squeezes Credence’s hand. “Let’s go home and give it a few waves.”<br/>
<br/>
After they’ve thanked Mister Jonker again, they leave the shop and Credence holds the box inside of his coat, cradling it and feeling a sense of wholeness he’s never quite felt before. He’s found his place in this world, a home where he belongs, with the people he belongs with, but now he thinks he’s complete. He is a wizard, the proof of it held in his hand only a few moments ago, and he blinks away tears as they walk up Dragon Street.<br/>
<br/>
Once they’ve taken the Floo Network back to Percy’s apartment, Percy helps Credence out of his coat and puts the kettle corn on the coffee table for later. They sit on the sofa together and Credence pulls out his wand, his hands shaking again, and weighs it in his palm as he looks it over.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s perfect,” he sighs. “I didn’t… I thought none of them might choose me.”<br/>
<br/>
“Didn’t take all that long, in the end,” Percy says and rubs Credence’s thigh. “It is a beautiful wand.”<br/>
<br/>
“It’s the opposite of yours, I think,” Credence says with a smile as he looks at Percy. “Yours is completely black.”<br/>
<br/>
“Ebony,” Percy chuckles. “Still a Wampus core. But they’re known to be popular among Aurors. Dark wizards too.”<br/>
<br/>
“Really?” Credence asks. “Why?”<br/>
<br/>
“Favors warriors with a strict code, is how Mister Jonker put it to me when I was eleven,” Percy says. “And there are warriors on both sides.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles and looks at his wand. It seems there really is a wand made for everyone, to match them well, and he runs his thumb along the light-colored, smooth wood.<br/>
<br/>
“So you’re a warrior and I have potential for… what?”<br/>
<br/>
“Anything, love. Anything you want,” Percy says. “It’s going to follow where you choose to go.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence leans against Percy until he wraps his arm around Credence’s shoulders. “What was that white light?”<br/>
<br/>
“Looked similar to the spell cast when healing severe wounds. To cleanse them and stop the bleeding before another spell is used to close them. Jonker did say it has immense healing powers.”<br/>
<br/>
“But I didn’t mean to cast something like that,” Credence says. “Does it show a random spell when it chooses you?”<br/>
<br/>
“Mine spat out a bunch of black and silver fireworks,” Percy says wryly. “I’d say it knows you want to heal some wounds and channeled that.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence bites his lip as he looks at his wand, then at Percy, smiling. “Thank you for taking me to get it,” he says. “I love it.”<br/>
<br/>
<em> I love you too, </em> Credence wants to say, as they gaze at each other, but he knows it’s too soon. He’s never been in love, has never been this close to someone before, but he knows love isn’t like the fairy tales.<br/>
<br/>
It doesn’t happen overnight.<br/>
<br/>
But he looks at Percy and can’t help it, can’t help but think <em> I love you and it hurts in the best of ways, </em> and knows he can’t tell him. Not yet. Percy would only think he was naive, that he didn’t know what he was saying, didn’t understand it, and he doesn’t want to hear that.<br/>
<br/>
A strange thing happens then, as they stare at each other, and they both look down at their wrists. There’s a heaviness around Credence’s that wasn’t there before and with some shock, he sees why.<br/>
<br/>
Instead of the pearlescent warmth of a magical bond, there’s a thick chain made of dark metal wrapped around his wrist, as well as Percy’s, with a two foot long linked chain in between.<br/>
<br/>
Percy lifts his arm and stares at it. “Well, this isn’t any fucking improvement,” he says angrily. “What in fucking Merlin’s left ballsack did we do now?”<br/>
<br/>
Credence coughs a little and purses his lips as he looks at the chain and at Percy, who is scowling at it again, like he thinks if he does just hard enough it’ll simply fall off. Credence grins, unable to help it, and when Percy looks at him, his brow furrowed in a menacing frown, he looks like he can’t comprehend why Credence would be smiling.<br/>
<br/>
“This is not a good thing, Mister Barebone, this just added ten pounds to my arm.”<br/>
<br/>
“How do you unlock a chain like this? A handcuff?”<br/>
<br/>
“In a variety of different ways,” Percy grouses. “A key. A lock pick. An easy spell. A difficult one. Or, in our case, you fucking don’t.”<br/>
<br/>
“What’s the easy spell?”<br/>
<br/>
“Alohomora,” Percy says distractedly. “Credence— Credence, <em> don’t—” </em><br/>
<br/>
Credence points his wand at Percy’s wrist and he is aware he has no idea what he’s doing, but it simply feels right to do, and he knows his wand won’t hurt Percy.<br/>
<br/>
<em> “Alohomora,” </em> he says firmly and the warmth is back in his hand. No light comes from his wand but with a loud, clunky sound, the chain around Percy’s wrist opens and falls off.<br/>
<br/>
“For Merlin’s fucking sake!” Percy says loudly and he looks at Credence a bit wildly. “You… oh, you absolute shit, you didn’t know that would work. You could’ve taken my arm off.” He touches his wrist and stares at Credence, who can only grin, before Percy pulls out his own wand.<br/>
<br/>
He points it at Credence’s wrist and he doesn’t say the spell but the same clunking sound comes from the cuff and it unlocks and falls off Credence’s wrist, the entire bond thumping loudly on the floor.<br/>
<br/>
Credence gasps and looks down at the chain, then his wrist, blessedly bare, no longer connected to Percy. He looks up at Percy, who is staring back at him, dumbfounded in a way Credence doubts many people see.<br/>
<br/>
“What were you thinking?” Credence asks, feeling emboldened, despite the tears in his eyes. He is relieved, but he’s scared too, scared of what this means. “When you were looking at me. Before it happened. What were you thinking?”<br/>
<br/>
Percy stares for a while more and frowns. He’s quiet, like he may be as afraid as Credence. “I was thinking that I love you,” he finally murmurs, “but Credence—”<br/>
<br/>
“I was thinking the same thing,” Credence says breathlessly. “I was, Percy, and it… it…”<br/>
<br/>
Credence is weeping then and he doesn’t know why, but Percy’s arms wrap around him in a way they’ve never quite been able to. He pulls Credence close to him and Credence clings back, gripping his shirt in his hands, and cries against his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
“Shh, shh,” Percy whispers. “It’s alright, love. It’s done. They won’t come back.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence isn’t afraid of that. He’s happy they’re gone, truly happy, and he thinks he must truly be in love as well and that Percy is too, that it’s not too soon because their magics touched and chose each other, which he knows is rare.<br/>
<br/>
So rare that MACUSA didn’t know about it, that Ministries in Europe didn’t know about it. That Percival Graves didn’t know about it.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s okay, Credence,” Percy says and moves his hand to the back of Credence’s neck. He kisses his shoulder and pulls back, resting his hand on Credence’s cheek. “Credence, look at me.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence is embarrassed to be crying again but he is still scared. He sniffs and tries to stop his tears as he looks at Percy, moving his hand to cover Percy’s, to try and keep him there longer.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, love,” Percy sighs. “I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. You think I’m looking at you and thinking I love you but I’m going to leave you just because these came off? No, Credence, I’m not. I told you, this is your home, chained to me or not. For as long as you want it. As long as you want me.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence hiccups a little and tries to duck his head, but Percy won’t let him. He makes Credence keep his chin up but it’s not so bad when Percy kisses him and doesn’t seem to care about his tears.<br/>
<br/>
Credence kisses back, rather desperately, and he wraps his arms around Percy’s neck. Something so simple he hasn’t been able to do and it would make him cry more, if Percy wasn’t kissing him so soundly. When he leans back, Credence follows, until he’s lying on top of Percy, and they only part to get more comfortable and kiss again after.<br/>
<br/>
Percy’s arms are tight around Credence’s waist and Credence thinks that he’s never been happier. It’s a thought he’s had in the last few days and he suspects he’s going to keep having it because things are going to keep getting better for him. They have to and with Percy’s help, Credence will see it done.<br/>
<br/>
They break apart to breathe and Credence kisses Percy’s cheek and presses his forehead against the sofa next to Percy, breathing deeply, overwhelmed. A good overwhelmed, but overwhelmed all the same.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay,” Percy says, sounding a little overwhelmed himself. “First rule about having a wand. Don’t ever point it at someone without their permission and cast a spell you’ve never cast before.”<br/>
<br/>
“I’m sorry,” Credence says and groans a little. “I knew it would work. I got ahead of myself.”<br/>
<br/>
“You did fucking fantastically, but you absolutely did get ahead of yourself. Almost gave me a heart attack,” Percy says but he’s laughing, so he can’t be too mad.<br/>
<br/>
Credence can’t help but laugh too and moves up so he can look at Percy. “I’m sorry,” he says sincerely. “I won’t do it again. I don’t see any reason why I would.”<br/>
<br/>
“Anymore bright ideas, either way, let me know first,” Percy sighs and grins when Credence does. “Fuck. I was starting to think we really might have to go to Rio.”<br/>
<br/>
“That might not have been so bad,” Credence says with a smile. “I think Jacob is right though. Magic is a hell of a thing.”<br/>
<br/>
“I thought I’d seen it all,” Percy chuckles and rubs Credence’s back. “You have proven me wrong this week.”<br/>
<br/>
“Me and Mister Scamander,” Credence says. Percy smiles in wry agreement and Credence kisses him before he carefully climbs off the sofa.<br/>
<br/>
He steps over the chain on the ground, not sure if he should touch it or not, scared of it reappearing around their wrists, and just to be able to walk a few feet away without forcing Percy to follow feels like a gift. It was a gift to be bound to Percy, it gave them all of this, but now they can enjoy their lives without such a barrier making it difficult to.<br/>
<br/>
Credence looks around the apartment as he walks into the kitchen and runs his hand over the breakfast bar. He looks at Percy in the living room, sitting up now and watching Credence with a fond smile.<br/>
<br/>
“Do you have to go back to work tomorrow?”<br/>
<br/>
Percy chuckles. “I should,” he says, “but I won’t. I think we deserve a day or two together in a way that’s normal.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles. “Me too,” he says softly. He watches Percy look down at the chain and hums. “What should we do with that?”<br/>
<br/>
“Should probably give it to Twycross, see if she can glean anything from it,” Percy mutters. “Though probably not.” He lifts his hand and the chain lifts into the air and twists back and forth as Percy looks at it. “I’m locking it up for now either way.”<br/>
<br/>
He gets up and walks with the chain down to his office and Credence smiles to himself as he waits for Percy. He comes back out a moment later and walks into the kitchen, sliding an arm around Credence’s waist.<br/>
<br/>
“You know what I’d like?”<br/>
<br/>
“What?” Credence asks with a smile. “Whiskey?”<br/>
<br/>
“A very large whiskey. And to sit on the sofa with you, reading books the everyday way, with the fire lit, until I make us dinner and not have to drag you along for the ride. I want to share what’s left of a normal day with you.”<br/>
<br/>
“Sounds good to me,” Credence says and leans against Percy, looking down at his bare wrist. He smiles and looks at Percy. “Let’s do it.”<br/>
<br/>
“Let’s do it,” Percy sighs and kisses Credence’s cheek.<br/>
<br/>
It turns out that <em> normal </em> truly is a wonderful thing.<br/>
<br/>
——<br/>
<br/>
Something as simple as using the toilet and showering alone seems like a luxury for the first few days. Getting to pull a shirt on by himself, Credence thinks, and he’s never felt anything sweeter.<br/>
<br/>
That’s not true, of course, but just four days without being able to do it makes him realize that he is incredibly fortunate in life as far as having no physical limitations goes.<br/>
<br/>
Percy and Credence don’t spend a lot of time apart, even with the bond off, staying close on the sofa or in bed. It’s wonderful, wonderful to be held and kissed and told he’s beautiful, even if it flusters him. Getting used to the intimacy they share, slowly banishing the thought that it’s wrong, that he’ll burn for it, and it’s a weight that’s lifted off of him, bit by bit.<br/>
<br/>
When Percy goes back to work, Credence knows that he comes home earlier than he did before they met, but he still works a twelve or thirteen hour day. It never seems to tire him. Rather he seems to find it easier, always with an energy Credence knows he could never possess, and it’s even worse when he’s got coffee in him. But Credence loves watching him and sometimes he comes into Percy’s office just to sit near him and read a book and listen to him complain about the various pieces of mail he gets or some of the cases that aren’t so sensitive.<br/>
<br/>
They eat lunch together most days and every evening Percy teaches Credence different spells. Everyday use, mostly, but sometimes he takes Credence down to the Auror training rooms and makes him practice defensive spells. It’s because he’s paranoid, Credence knows, but he isn’t half bad at them and it seems to make Percy proud and give him joy to see it.<br/>
<br/>
The Auror department is getting used to seeing Credence around and though Mister Fontaine still scares him, he teases Percy more openly now, only ever stopping when Percy threatens his manhood or starts telling Credence stories about Fontaine’s wife Eldora.<br/>
<br/>
Tina Goldstein approaches Credence one day when Percy is out on the floor and demonstrating why junior Aurors do not get to do certain things after an accident outside this morning and Tina is a junior Auror herself, Credence knows, but she’s not the type to make mistakes.<br/>
<br/>
They talk for a while and Credence is a little nervous to, but Tina is kind and funny too, sarcastic like Percy, and she invites him to have lunch with her and her sister Queenie, who works downstairs. Credence is surprised by the offer, never having friends before, and he accepts it, trying not to sound too eager.<br/>
<br/>
When Percy comes back in, fuming, he tells Tina to get back to work, but he’s not as terse as he usually is. Probably because Credence is grinning and when he tells Percy about Tina’s invitation, Percy mutters <em> Goldsteins </em> but does mention that they’re good people and he’ll have fun with them.<br/>
<br/>
Credence does have fun with them the first time they go to lunch, when Percy is stuck with Seraphina upstairs, and he is a little more confident now, able to keep up with conversation for the most part. Where he can’t, Queenie makes up for it, and every lunch they have, Credence feels less terrified that he’ll mess things up.<br/>
<br/>
That even if he does mess things up, he might be forgiven for it.<br/>
<br/>
Percy and Credence spend Christmas together, the best Credence has ever had, intimate and fun, full of good food and more alcohol than he should probably have, but his giggling amuses Percy to no end and it’s really not so bad.<br/>
<br/>
After the first week of January is over and things slow down in the Auror department, Credence tries to tell Percy that he’s ready to share some sort of pleasure with him. It takes him an age and a day to get his point across but Percy doesn’t deny him it.<br/>
<br/>
It’s slow, of course, small pleasures to other people, maybe, but not to Credence and Percy knows that. But each time they’re close in that way, Credence feels less like a sinner and more like a normal person in love, and thinks he was right that it would help him.<br/>
<br/>
They make love near the end of February for the first time and it’s no longer slow after that, mostly because Credence feels like a new man after and it’s something he wants often. Percy does too and he tells Credence that, but Credence can see it in his eyes, the way he looks at Credence sometimes and it’s something he never thought he’d see. That someone would ever be attracted to him in such a way.<br/>
<br/>
Love happened quickly but it’s still being built and each day that goes by, Credence knows it gets stronger, pushing away lingering doubts and fears. Not completely, but enough to be happy, enough to be content, enough to be in love and never question it.<br/>
<br/>
In the first week of March, Percy tells Credence he’ll be inspecting Newt Scamander’s suitcase himself.<br/>
<br/>
All inspections have been good so far, Newt adhering to the rules Percy put in place, and they’re still speaking with the Ministry in Britain, but Percy tells Credence Newt hasn’t seemed eager to leave, according to the reports he gets on his desk.<br/>
<br/>
Percy finds it very suspicious and Credence only smiles and thinks that Newt might just like New York for a few different reasons. He’s surprised when Percy asks if he’d like to come along on the inspection but he readily agrees, excited to see the creatures and such magic again.<br/>
<br/>
There’s a quarter in his pocket every day, dearly held on to, the beginning of it all, and Credence feels like a second Christmas has come when they leave MACUSA and head for the small home Newt has gotten for himself.<br/>
<br/>
MACUSA employees have put enchantments on the suitcase themselves, despite Newt’s insistence that it didn’t need them, but they ensure there will be no more escapes and Percy hadn’t been swayed.<br/>
<br/>
Percy doesn’t seem as excited about visiting Newt and when they Apparate to the house, one of the unannounced inspections, of course, Percy pounds on the door.<br/>
<br/>
It reminds Credence of the way police officers do and he sighs a little, shaking his head, but it’s fond.<br/>
<br/>
When Newt opens the door, he looks surprised and also vaguely terrified and Credence hopes he hasn’t fucked it up, in Percy’s words.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, hello, Director Graves. Credence, wonderful to see you. Look at you two, no longer bound together,” Newt says once the fear is lessened. “What can I do for you today?”<br/>
<br/>
Percy raises an eyebrow. “I think you know well what you can do for me today,” he says dryly. “I’m here for an inspection.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yourself then? Is there anything wrong?” Newt asks. “None of them have escaped.”<br/>
<br/>
“I am aware of that,” Percy says. “The suitcase, Mister Scamander.”<br/>
<br/>
Newt steps aside and Credence smiles at him.<br/>
<br/>
“How are they doing?” he asks curiously.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, they’re doing wonderfully. Thriving. I’ve made some expansions,” Newt says. “With approval from MACUSA, of course,” he adds hastily. “But I’ve successfully bred the Nifflers and we’ve got a few mischievous young ones at the moment. Always stealing my Dragots.” He sighs fondly. “I’d recommend leaving any coins or jewelry in here before going down.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence leaves his quarter on the coffee table and grins cheekily at Percy, who only shakes his head, and they follow Newt to an addition off of the back dining room. Credence recognizes the feel of magic now and it’s strong in this room, nothing but the suitcase sitting in the middle of the floor, expanded to a wider opening now that the creatures can’t escape so easily.<br/>
<br/>
Not that they had a problem with it when it was smaller.<br/>
<br/>
Newt seems nervous and Credence suspects he is every time MACUSA comes out to inspect the suitcase. Or maybe it’s Percy himself, who has done plenty to intimidate Newt, but that doesn’t seem quite right either.<br/>
<br/>
They walk out of the tiny shack and into the Expansion Charm, even larger than before, and Credence grins as he looks around. There’s a fifth large habitat now, what appears to be a rainforest, and Credence can hear various noises from it, what sounds like massive frogs and tropical birds.<br/>
<br/>
“For fuck’s sake,” Percy sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.<br/>
<br/>
Credence looks at him, then the direction he’d been looking at, and laughs.<br/>
<br/>
“Hi, Jacob,” he says as Jacob wanders over, an empty bucket in his hands. “How are you?”<br/>
<br/>
“Hey, Credence,” Jacob says with a grin. He coughs a little. “Director Graves. It’s goin’ good, you know, opened my bakery. Spend my days off here helping out Newt take care of all the little guys.”<br/>
<br/>
“Mister Kowalski, I told you—”<br/>
<br/>
“That he could only speak to me about this, of course,” Newt interrupts hurriedly. “And so he has, he’s never here during an inspection. Immensely helpful and they all quite like him.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy shakes his head, looking up at the darkness above, like he’s praying for patience. He seems resigned to accept this for now, but he eyes Jacob for a while, looking for signs of deceptiveness. He clearly doesn’t find any and sighs.<br/>
<br/>
“Let’s get a count,” Percy says. “I’m aware more than the Nifflers have increased in numbers per your last letter to the Magical Creatures department?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yes, that’s right. And they’ll increase more in the next three to five months, baby season, after all,” Newt says and gestures for them to follow.<br/>
<br/>
Credence walks behind Newt and Percy as Newt explains the new habitats and creatures and Jacob walks alongside him.<br/>
<br/>
“You look good, Credence,” he says with a grin. “Not so scary anymore, is it? How’d you two get that bond off?”<br/>
<br/>
“We fell in love,” Credence says and smiles when Jacob laughs. “The day I got my wand, I realized I really was a wizard and that I loved him and he loved me. They came off then.”<br/>
<br/>
“Hell of a thing, isn’t it?” Jacob says. “Magic, I mean. Bizarre sometimes but incredible. It’s like Christmas every time I come in here and I see it a few times a week.”<br/>
<br/>
“It really is amazing,” Credence says as he looks around with a grin. “I wish I could see it a couple times a week.”<br/>
<br/>
“Out of the question,” Percy says ahead of him, looking at where Newt is pointing.<br/>
<br/>
Credence rolls his eyes. “See if he can stop me,” he mutters and grins when Jacob laughs, a little uneasily. “You opened a bakery?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah. That’s what I was doin’ when our suitcases got switched, trying to get a loan to open it. I was denied but Newt gave me some of those Occamy egg shells and you wouldn’t believe what they went for! Enough to open the bakery and pay rent for a long time. Newt’s nice enough that he only asks for a box of baked goods now and then,” Jacob says cheerfully. “It’s pretty popular in Brooklyn, you should come by and see it. Everything I ever wanted.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles. “Are you hiring?”<br/>
<br/>
Jacob laughs for a while. “You know, if you want to work at my bakery, I’d happily hire you. You’re the reason I got to open it.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh,” Credence says a little breathlessly. “No, I think that was Newt.” He blushes when Jacob only grins at him, because he does know he persuaded Percy to not erase Jacob’s memories. “Thank you. A bakery sounds fun, you know. There’s also a pet shop—”<br/>
<br/>
“Would you mind telling me why the fuck you’re here, Goldstein?” Percy barks suddenly.<br/>
<br/>
Credence and Jacob flinch a little and Credence looks around. He gapes at Tina, who is clearly trying to blend in near a strange formation of what looks like cones of sand. Tina is right there and she’s fighting with a Niffler over what looks like a shiny pen.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, hello, sir,” Tina says breathlessly as she lifts the Niffler into the air and tickles it until it falls with a thud onto the ground. “It’s my day off.”<br/>
<br/>
“I am aware of that,” Percy says impatiently. “And yet I hear no answer to my question.”<br/>
<br/>
Tina approaches them with a grimace, her cheeks pink. “Well, umm… see, I’ve come to inspect Newt’s— Mister Scamander’s suitcase a few times with the magizoologists and, umm…”<br/>
<br/>
Credence continues to gape at her and feels a little betrayed. She hadn’t told him she was coming here and he thinks he knows the exact reason why when she glances furtively in Newt’s direction. Percy’s face looks like a dark thundercloud and Credence moves closer to him, touching his hand.<br/>
<br/>
“Is her personal life your business?” Newt asks when Tina trails off.<br/>
<br/>
Credence and Tina grimace.<br/>
<br/>
“Is it my business?” Percy asks calmly. “In any other situation, no. In this one? Yes it fucking is, Mister Scamander! This is a conflict of interest, Goldstein.”<br/>
<br/>
“Percy,” Credence mutters. “She’s never unaccompanied here on MACUSA time.”<br/>
<br/>
“And yet it is still a conflict of interest,” Percy says. “Goldstein, if I walk into work tomorrow and you do not have a COI form filled out on my desk, I will throw you downstairs with your sister.”<br/>
<br/>
Tina cringes and nods. “Yes, sir,” she says. “I’ll have it done. Thank you, Director Graves.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy holds up his hand before rubbing at his temples. “All four of you are going to send me to an early grave,” he mutters. “Mister Scamander, continue.” He flutters his hand and Newt hurriedly does so, perhaps seeing the benefit of cooperating.<br/>
<br/>
Tina doesn’t follow, looking at Credence, still grimacing. “Oh, I think I almost got fired,” she whispers. “Hi, Credence.”<br/>
<br/>
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming here?” Credence asks. “You should have! I could’ve told Percy.”<br/>
<br/>
“He’s my boss! Do you know how weird it is that I know he goes home to you every night already?” Tina hisses. “Let alone telling him about… about Mister Scamander and I.”<br/>
<br/>
“Mister Scamander now?” Jacob asks teasingly.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, be quiet,” Tina says. “Merlin, why’d it have to be you two today? Sorry, Credence, I was going to tell you at some point.”<br/>
<br/>
“When you sent me a wedding invitation?”<br/>
<br/>
“Probably,” Tina sighs and finally smiles. “At least he’s only forbidding me from ever coming here again.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence sighs. “He’s just mad. Though he did make you sign a paper saying you wouldn’t speak to anyone else about this,” he says to Jacob. “He’s probably going to make you sign another one.”<br/>
<br/>
“If it’s only that and not my memories,” Jacob says nervously. “It’s not like Tina’s gonna tell anyone about me.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence glances at Tina and knows full well she’s told Queenie about all of this, if she hasn’t come to see it herself, and that Percy will already know that too. They really might kill him and Credence feels badly then, but why shouldn’t Tina and Newt see each other if that’s what they want?<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, I’m gonna be on desk duty for the next six months,” Tina sighs and shrugs helplessly. “I’m sorry, Jacob, I shouldn’t have come here during the day.”<br/>
<br/>
“Probably wouldn’t have seen you if it wasn’t for that damn Niffler,” Jacob says and smiles. “I’m sorry if he’s mean to you.”<br/>
<br/>
“I probably deserve it. At least a little.”<br/>
<br/>
“A little,” Credence says and smiles when she grimaces apologetically. “I won’t let him be too mean. Just try not to send him to an early grave, I kind of like him. I’m going to hear about this for the next week, you owe me lunch.”<br/>
<br/>
“Done,” Tina says and pats Credence’s shoulder. “Thank you.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence smiles and shakes his head. “Stay here and let him finish the inspection before he starts yelling again,” he says and walks off to join Newt and Percy, who are looking at a large lake habitat and the odd creatures that swim through it.<br/>
<br/>
Grindylows, he thinks.<br/>
<br/>
“They’re harder to breed, very choosy, but I expect I might see some offspring in the next few years,” Newt is saying to Percy, who looks like he needs a stiff drink.<br/>
<br/>
Credence takes his hand and Percy doesn’t look at him, but he squeezes Credence’s hand in return. They follow Newt around for a while more before Percy tells him to bring a list of the creatures and how many there currently are, a rule he must follow.<br/>
<br/>
Percy leans against the wall of the suitcase and looks at Credence. “Did you know they were seeing each other?”<br/>
<br/>
“No,” Credence says dryly. “I would have told you, you know I would have. Don’t be too mean. I know,” he adds hastily when Percy scowls. “Sometimes love finds us unexpectedly, you know. When and where we least expect it.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy gives him a long look but he moves his hands to Credence’s hips and pulls him closer. “That’s true. Still rules to follow. Like the one about no one knowing about Kowalski’s lack of Obliviation. Now two more people know a no-maj is running around with all of this in his head. The Goldstein sisters are lucky I don’t fire them and take this away from Scamander and Kowalski.”<br/>
<br/>
“They’re doing really well besides that,” Credence tries and smiles when Percy only sighs. “I’m sorry. It’ll be okay, Percy.”<br/>
<br/>
“It damn well better be or Sera’s going to have my nuts in a vice for the next twenty fucking years,” Percy says. “I ask for very little, you know.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence laughs. “You ask for a lot,” he says and grins, leaning in to kiss Percy’s frown away. “But you ask for a lot of things that make sense. It’ll still be okay.”<br/>
<br/>
“I wish I had your optimism, love,” Percy says wryly. “Things do tend to go your way.”<br/>
<br/>
“I’m still not used to that,” Credence says and smiles, looking down at Percy’s tie. “But it feels good to be optimistic sometimes. To have a little hope.”<br/>
<br/>
“It does, doesn’t it,” Percy sighs and slides his hands to Credence’s back, pulling him closer to kiss him.<br/>
<br/>
Credence kisses him back, suspects he needs it and has decided not to care for the moment about where they are, and rests his hands over Percy’s chest. When they pull apart, Credence wraps his arms around Percy and hugs him tightly.<br/>
<br/>
“I love you,” he says. “Can I talk to my friends about respecting you before they ruin their lives if you’re not mean to them?”<br/>
<br/>
Percy scoffs. “I need to put the fear of God into them, as no-majs say, so no,” he says and smirks when Credence looks at him. “Sorry, love, I do have to do my job.”<br/>
<br/>
“Suppose they deserve it. Just a little though,” Credence says and smiles. “Sometimes taking a few risks is worth it.”<br/>
<br/>
“I am very aware of that. Still have a job to do,” Percy says. “If they fuck it up again, I won’t be so forgiving. You are more than welcome to tell them that while I drown myself in whiskey tonight.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence laughs. “I want to be home with you tonight,” he says. “Like every night.”<br/>
<br/>
Percy smiles and rubs Credence’s back. “Alright then,” he says and looks around Credence. “Your friend is coming to say hello.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence looks down and sees Dougal. “Hi, Dougal,” he says with a grin. “You changed my entire life, you know.”<br/>
<br/>
Dougal looks pleased at this and hands Credence a bright blue Christmas ornament, dusted with silver. Credence takes it and feels warm, not at all frightened the way he’d felt when last given a gift. Dougal peers at Percy for a moment before he reaches up and takes his hand, holding it.<br/>
<br/>
“He likes you,” Credence says and smiles when he looks at Percy.<br/>
<br/>
“Flattered,” Percy says with a chuckle as he watches Dougal gaze serenely around at all of the other creatures moving about their days. Percy looks at Credence and smiles. “You have a way about you, Mister Barebone.”<br/>
<br/>
“What do you mean?”<br/>
<br/>
“Doesn’t matter how shitty my days are when I deal with complete fucking morons in <em> and </em> out of MACUSA,” Percy says dryly. “One look at that smile when I come home and it doesn’t really matter anymore.”<br/>
<br/>
Credence ducks his head, his cheeks warm, and grins. “It’s a good thing I can’t help but smile when I see you then.”<br/>
<br/>
“I am very lucky for that,” Percy says. “All thanks to Mister Dougal here, I suppose. Come on, let’s finish this up and get lunch at home so I can kiss you senseless after.”<br/>
<br/>
“Sounds good to me,” Credence laughs and looks at Percy. He kisses him and pulls away after, taking his hand. He smiles when Dougal walks with Percy, still clutching his hand and looks around the suitcase then.<br/>
<br/>
Magic will always impress him, will always give him a sense of wonder, because he missed out on so much of it and feared it for so many years. It surrounds his life now, seen around every corner, and Credence knows it will amaze him until the day he dies.<br/>
<br/>
He sat in Central Park mourning his life not too long, pretending magic wasn’t real, until a Demiguise approached him and a wizard not long after that, all to turn his life upside down.<br/>
<br/>
Magic changed everything. His and Percy’s, finally meeting after so long apart when they were so close to each other, neither of them expecting it and what it would mean when magic wrapped around their wrists.<br/>
<br/>
Magic gave Credence a place to belong and Percy gave him a home, love, security, things he craved for so long but thought he never would deserve. He might be a work in progress, something he knows Percy would tsk at him for thinking, but he’s happier every day, healthier and settling into what it means to be his own person.<br/>
<br/>
Credence looks at Percy when he speaks with Newt, his sternness and no-nonsense professional manner, and yet when Newt walks off to continue the inspection, Percy looks at him and it melts away.<br/>
<br/>
Percy’s smile will always bring him joy, will always make a bad day end well, and Credence smiles back and knows that Percy feels the same.<br/>
<br/>
<em> I love yous </em> and <em> forevers </em> aren’t so frightening anymore.<br/>
<br/>
<em> I love you </em> is to be cherished and <em> forever </em> will always be something to look forward to.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was really fun to write. Hope you enjoyed it! I didn't want a big trial to get the bonds off but rather just some good ol' fashioned falling in love.</p><p>I'd love to hear what you think. Kudos and comments mean so much!</p><p>Thank you so much <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/angelsallfire">Erin</a> and Mom!!!</p><p>
  <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/vtforpedro">Tumblr</a>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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